07/12/2005

Northern Bank employee remanded in custody

The 24-year-old Northern Bank employee who appeared in court to face charges in connection with last year's £26.5 million Northern Bank robbery in Belfast has been remanded in custody.

Appearing at Laganside Magistrates' Court this morning, Chris Ward, 24, from west Belfast, spoke only to confirm he understood the charges.

However, the court heard that when charged in connection with the incident, he had told police that he was being framed and that his friends were being hounded.

A detective told the court that he could connect Mr Ward to the charges, which are based on circumstantial evidence.

Police gathered evidence from surveillance of Mr Ward's home and from a holiday he took to the Canary Islands.

Mr Ward was remanded to appear by video link next month.

The £26.5 million robbery of the Northern Bank headquarters in Belfast on December 20, was blamed on the IRA.

(MB/SP)

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