A senior Sinn Féin official alleged to be part of an IRA spy ring at Stormont will have to wait until next week to know if he will be allowed home for Christmas.
Mr Denis Donaldson, who was Sinn Féin's head of administration at Stormont when police raided his office last October, was back in his prison cell last night after judgment was reserved in his second bail application.
Mr Donaldson (52), from Aitnamona Crescent, West, Belfast, is denying five charges of possessing material useful to terrorists following the discovery of 1,200 documents in his home.
He was refused bail last month, but renewed his application in the High Court in Belfast yesterday.
Mr Seamus Treacy QC argued that Mr Donaldson could not be deprived of his liberty on the basis of "untested and untestable" assertions by a senior police officer relying on intelligence material that he was a member of the Provisional IRA headquarters intelligence unit.
Mr Justice Sheil said he intended to deliberate on the matter over the weekend and would give his decision next week.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland raided Sinn Féin's Stormont offices during its inquiries.