A top loyalist facing a murder trial was today freed on bail with orders to stay within five miles of a police station.
William "Mo" Courtney, an alleged UDA boss in Belfast, was also told to hand over £11,000 in cash and stay away from the victim's family.
Courtney (41) is accused of murdering Alan "Bucky" McCullough (21), a former associate of deposed UDA chief Johnny "Mad Dog" Adair.
McCullough was found dead at Mallusk, on the outskirts of the city in May 2003. He had returned to Northern Ireland from England, where he fled with Adair's rogue unit at the height of a feud.
Courtney's trial, which was due to begin this month, has been dogged by delays. With no new date fixed yet, he was released from custody at Belfast Crown Court provided he adhered to strict bail restricts.
After being told police were happy with a new address for him to reside at, the judge laid out the terms for freeing him. Mr Justice Hart said the loyalist had to provide his own bail of £1,000, plus two sureties of £5,000 each, one in cash.
The judge added that Courtney was to have no contact with any witnesses or the family of the deceased, but he rejected an attempt by the Crown to make an order forbidding Courtney from associating with a list of 17 people linked to the case.
He added: "I have great doubts first of all as to whether such a prohibition is practical, and secondly whether it's correct as a matter of principle.
. . . Any one of these people could visit this man while he's in prison."
PA