Bank Robbery Trial Hears Of Panic As Mobile Signal Lost

Evidence continued yesterday in the Northern Bank trial, where a bank employee, Chris Ward continues to deny being part of the plot that ultimately robbed the city centre bank of £26.5 million.

Mr Ward's colleague and immediate boss, bank manager Kevin McMullan, yesterday described to the court how, under duress, he told other cash services staff to go home early.

Mr McMullan said he told staff there was a problem and "they could go home" so he and Mr Ward could "count notes".

Once they were left alone in the bank, the pair stuffed a sports bag full of bundles of £100 and £50 notes and the accused; Mr Ward carried this outside as instructed by the gang who were then holding their respective families hostage.

During yesterday's evidence, Mr McMullan talked about his "panic" when the lack of a mobile phone signal meant that he could not 'check in' on time with the gang.

He also had to go outside the bank to get a signal and was worried desperately worried about what might happen to his wife, Kyran.

When he got through to one of the gang members, he said: "I apologised for being late. I told them I could not get reception within the cash centre."

Earlier, Mr McMullan told Belfast Crown Court of the "pact" he made with his clerk Christopher Ward to "empty the vaults of their city centre bank to save their families".

Earlier he had told the court how bogus policemen tricked their way into his Loughinisland Road home, taking him and his wife Kyran hostage.

Mr McMullan said he had told the gang that he could never carry out the robbery single handed, and that was when Chris Ward was brought in.

Almost four years later, Mr Ward, a 26-year-old bank supervisor, from Colinmill, Poleglass, stands accused of being the 'inside man' behind the December 2004 robbery.

In his evidence, Mr McMullan said of Mr Ward: "He was shaking, having difficulty breathing and just said they have got my mum and dad."

Mr McMullan said that later after being left alone they spoke to each other and said "we are going to do whatever we have to do here to make sure Chris' family and Kyran are safe".

Mr McMullan said one kidnapper made it very clear that if anything went wrong with the robbery, that the robbery didn't go according to plan, that if we did anything to try and stop the robbery - they would shoot Kyran.

"They said they would shoot her in the head and used the phrase that was used repeatedly through the night, that, 'we will damage her beyond repair'," said the bank manager.

Mr McMullan also said that he and Mr Ward had been held overnight in a back bedroom at his Loughinisland home before the robbery and told to get some sleep.

He said at 6.30am the gang left and told them to get ready for work starting at noon.

Mr McMullan then told the court that he left early because he feared his father would drop in for a chat as he often did when his son was on a late shift.

The case continues with Chris Ward denying two charges of abducting Mr McMullan and his wife Kyran.

(BMcC)