Northern Bank trial adjourned

The trial of a man accused of the £26.5m (€18m) Northern Bank robbery which was due to begin in Belfast today was adjourned until tomorrow.

Christopher Ward, 26, who was an employee with the bank in Donegall Square West at the time of what was the biggest raid in British banking history, denies all charges.

The prosecution and defence legal teams were today granted a 24-hour delay to the start of the trial at Belfast Crown Court after they requested time to settle outstanding issues around items of evidence.

Ward, who faces no charge involving the IRA, denies a charge of robbing the bank in December 2004 and two further charges of falsely imprisoning bank colleague Kevin McMullan and his wife Karen.

The accused, from Colinmill in Poleglass on the outskirts of West Belfast, has been on bail since being charged in December 2005.

Today the court also granted a request that Ward remained on bail during the course of the trial, which is now due to begin tomorrow.