Man appears in court over 1973 Alfredo Fusco murder

A man has been sent for trial charged with the murder of a Belfast cafe owner nearly 37 years ago.

Robert Clarke, 58, is accused of killing Catholic father-of-four Alfredo Fusco in a gun attack at his business on the York Road in February 1973.

Mr Clarke of Dundrod Road, Nutts Corner, Crumlin, faces a second charge of possessing two guns and ammunition.

He was arrested in August following a new investigation by the Historical Enquiries Team (HET).

Mr Fusco, 57, a prominent member of Belfast's Italian community was shot dead after gunmen burst into his cafe and singled him out.

A pensioner, Samuel Reynolds, who was near the scene of the attack and heard the gunfire collapsed and died from a heart attack.

No organisation claimed responsibility for the killing, though the UDA was suspected. An RUC officer told an inquest he had no doubt it was a sectarian attack.

The accused spoke only to confirm he understood the charges against him during a preliminary enquiry at Belfast Magistrates Court.

The judge granted an application to have him returned for trial at the city's crown court.

A date is still to be set and Mr Clarke was released on continuing bail.

He has been ordered to stay at his home address, surrender his passport and report to police twice a week.

Mrs Bagnall, who was told all exhibits in the case have now been submitted, also consented to a defence application for two barristers to represent the accused.

The HET is a specialist police unit set up to re-examine unsolved terrorist murders in Northern Ireland.