06/12/2005

Lawyers fail in bid to get bank worker released

Lawyers representing a Northern Bank worker arrested by police in connection with last year's £26.5 million heist have failed in a bid to have him released.

Chris Ward, 24, was arrested on November 29 in connection with the incident, and on Monday police were given another 48 hours to question him.

But in an emergency hearing at 1.15am on Tuesday Mr Justice Harte granted leave for a judicial review into the circumstances of his detention. However, the appeal was eventually thrown out.

Of the 10 people questioned to date in connection with the robbery, three have appeared in court.

Martin McAliskey, 42, Peter Kelly, 30, and Dominic McEvoy, 23, all appeared in court in October charged in connection with the heist.

The robbery of the Northern Bank headquarters in Belfast on December 20, was blamed on the IRA, however, the republican group denied these accusations as did Sinn Fein.

While a quantity of money seized by Garda in Cork has been linked with the bank raid, virtually all the money remains unaccounted for and the Northern Bank has issued new notes as a result of the robbery.

(MB/GB)

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