A solicitor may face criminal prosecution over the disappearance of £610,000 from the client account in his former legal practice, the High Court in Belfast heard yesterday.
A barrister for Mr Alan Nurse, who formerly practised at Upper Newtownards Road, said police had searched his home and taken away files.
"It is fair to say that criminal proceedings might arise," said Mr Odhrán Stockman, opposing an application by the Law Society for discovery of all documents in Mr Nurse's possession.
The Law Society has already been granted an injunction restraining Mr Nurse from selling his £500,000 house and wants him to make good the missing £610,000, instead of it coming out of the society's insurance fund.
Mr Frank O'Donoghue QC said the Law Society had lost confidence in the representations made by Mr Nurse.
Murder accused on new charges
A man already in custody on a murder charge appeared in court yesterday accused of attempted murder and membership of the Red Hand Defenders. Mr William Alan Hill (20), Southport Court, Belfast, was charged with attempting to murder three people in a bomb attack on an SDLP advice centre.
Mr Hill was charged last January with murdering Mr David Cupples, a British army cook, and yesterday he was remanded in custody until Monday.
Armed bank robbery in Derry
The police in Derry said that they haven't ruled out paramilitary involvement in an armed bank robbery which took place in the Waterside area of the city yesterday morning.
Case referred to court of appeal
The Criminal Cases Review Commission has referred the case of Mr Paschal Mulholland, Armagh, to the Court of Appeal, 26 years after being jailed for IRA membership. Mr Mulholland (43) said: "I have lived with this wrongful conviction all these years."