The king of Jordan is taking a personal interest in the case of three members of his country’s Paralympic team accused of sex offences during pre-Games training in Northern Ireland, a court in Coleraine heard yesterday.
Jordan had promised to bring the men back before the court if bail was granted, district judge Richard Wilson was told.
He later released the three men on combined bail and sureties of £5,500 (€7,000) each. They have to make weekly contact with the Jordanian embassy in London before their next appearance in court on October 18th.
Two wheelchair-using power-lifters – one a bronze medal winner at the Beijing Games – and a trainer have been accused of a series of charges, including sexual assault and voyeurism, following complaints by two girls and two women in Antrim town.
The Jordanian team has been training in the town, about 35km from Belfast, in advance of the Paralympic Games starting next week. The three were held on Monday for questioning by PSNI detectives. – (PA)