The brother of an IRA woman shot by the SAS in Gibraltar has been given four weeks to find a new legal team after his solicitor came off record.
Belfast Crown Court Judge Tom Burgess told 52-year-old Ciaran Anthony Farrell he believed that given the serious nature of the charge he faces, he needed to have legal representation.
"I suggest that you take very step possible to do that otherwise the court will be in a position to move on and I don't believe that will be in your best interests," said the Recorder of Belfast.
Farrell, from Killeaton Park in Dunmurry is charged with providing a Renault Laguna car for the purposes of terrorism on 22 February last year.
His solicitor from J.M. Hughes and Co, told the judge earlier that although a defence certificate was granted at Farrell's first appearance in Newry Magistrates' Court, he was applying to come off record as the firm "did not fully appraise the ramifications" of the new legal aid cost rules.
The heightening row is over new legal aid rules introduced by Justice Minister David Ford.
Fees to solicitors have been reduced by 25% under changes in legal aid for Crown Court proceedings, while barristers rates will also drop by 20%.
Farrell told Judge Burgess he was agreeing to his solicitor coming off record but was told by the judge that by the time the case comes back before the court next month, he will want to know what efforts he has made to get a new legal team.
"I have to say that at the moment I do have a trial date for this in November and given the nature of the charges I will be pressing very hard to get that on," said the judge who released Farrell on continuing bail.
Farrell was originally charged with causing an explosion at Newry Courthouse after a massive car bomb hidden inside a Mazda car exploded and during a bail application at the High Court, judges heard allegations that Farrell was either a member of the Real IRA or closely aligned to it.
No-one was killed or injured in the attack but the explosion did cause damage to the gates of the courthouse.
Farrell is a brother of Mairead Farrell, one of three IRA members shot dead by the SAS in Gibraltar in 1988.
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