Court in Co Antrim refuses to allow man to attend Chinese New Year celebrations in London
A man who allegedly had £38,000 in a bag at Belfast International Airport has failed to have bail conditions altered to attend the Chinese New Year in London.
Li Ziang (23), of Sanderson Villas in Gateshead, Newcastle upon Tyne, is alleged to have been in possession of 'criminal property' on August 7 last year. A previous court was told the defendant said he had the money to buy Rolex watches.
However, at the earlier court, a police officer said there was suspicions the defendant had links to an organised crime gang.
The defendant was at Antrim Magistrates Court, sitting in Ballymena on Tuesday (February 10), seeking to change his bail so he can attend the Chinese New Year in London.
A police officer opposed the bail amendment saying there was a concern that if the defendant attended London there would be a risk he would not return to Northern Ireland.
A defence barrister said the defendant's bail conditions mean he is living alone in Belfast and is "isolated" and the trip to London was to "assist with his mental health and to see friends who he hasn't seen for a very long time".
He said there are "triable issues" in the 'possessing criminal property' case. The defendant had the assistance of a Mandarin language interpreter at court on Tuesday.
District Judge Nigel Broderick refused the bail variation because he was "concerned about the risk of flight. In other words I don't think he would come back to Northern Ireland for his case.
"I am also concerned that the person he was going to be staying with had no knowledge that he was coming over in the first place. That information undermines his application."
The defendant is on continuing bail and the case was adjourned to March 10.