Delight as bank charges dropped

Dominic McEvoy was accused of robbing the Northern Bank

The mother of a man who was accused of carrying out the £26m Northern Bank robbery has been speaking of her relief that the charges have been dropped.

Dominic McEvoy, 23, from Mullandra Park, Kilcoo, heard on Wednesday that the charges of robbery and false imprisonment had been withdrawn.

His mother Irene said she was overjoyed when she heard the news from her son.

"It was 14 months of hell, and in five minutes, your life was back together again," she said.

"It's a miracle - I just couldn't believe it.

"When Dominic told us, the family all just squealed - we could not believe it."

Mr McEvoy was arrested in November 2005 in connection with the robbery in Belfast city centre the previous December.

Charges against a second man of withholding information and attempting to pervert the course of justice were also dropped on Wednesday.

Mr McEvoy had been jointly charged with Northern Bank official Christopher Ward, 25, from Colinmill, Poleglass, in west Belfast.

Mr Ward was remanded on continuing bail on Wednesday.