The trial of the man accused of murdering Robert McCartney outside a Belfast bar more than three years ago was postponed at short notice today.
Mr McCartney (33) died after being beaten and stabbed outside Magennis’s Bar on January 30th, 2005.
Terence Malachy Davison (51), had been due to face a murder charge at Belfast Crown Court of killing Mr McCartney.
Two other men - James McCormick (39), and Joseph Gerard Emmanuel Fitzpatrick (47) - were also due to face charges of affray in relation to the same incident in January 2005. Mr Fitzpatrick is also accused of assaulting another man, Edward Gowdy, on the same date.
The hearing was adjourned only minutes before it was due to start because a defence barrister was unavoidably delayed at another trial.
Orlando Pownall QC, who successfully defended Sean Hoey, the man accused of murdering 29 people in the 1998 Omagh bomb, sent his apologies to the court for his non-appearance.
Trial judge Lord Justice Higgins said the delay was regrettable and agreed to start the trial tomorrow.