A leading Belfast solicitor has gone on trial accused of incitement to murder and perverting the course of justice.
The court was told the charges against 45-year-old Manmohan 'Johnny' Sandhu from Derry arose out of the covert recording of his consultations with suspected terrorists.
The secret surveillance was carried out while the solicitor was consulting with clients in the Serious Crime Suite at Antrim PSNI base.
A prosecution lawyer said it was their case that far from fulfilling that role in attending to offer legal advice to persons who were arrested and held there to be questioned about serious terrorist offences, Mr Sandhu abused his position and engaged in a range of criminal behaviours.
When the trial proper gets under way, the solicitor’s lawyers are to contest the admissibility of the transcripts taken from the covert surveillance.
Evidence in the case concerning the solicitor’s alleged involvement with loyalist paramilitaries has been adjourned until Wednesday.
