12/10/2007

Not Guilty Plea On Northern Bank Charge

The only person to be charged in connection with multi million pound Northern Bank raid three years ago has been in court.

Bank employee Chris Ward denied that he was involved in the £26.5 million robbery at the bank's Belfast HQ.

Mr Ward (26) pleaded not guilty to the robbery charge and two further charges that he falsely imprisonment his bank colleague Kevin McMullan and his wife Karen on dates between December 18 and 21, 2004.

However Ward, from Colinmill in the Poleglass area of west Belfast, will not stand trial for the robbery until "the first working day" of September next year.

After confirming that the trial will be Diplock with no jury involved and will be "of some length", Mr Justice Hart granted defence lawyer Neil Fox further time to lodge Ward`s defence statement and released Ward on bail.

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