The case against two former members of the RUc who were due to appear at Derry Magistrate's court yesterday charged with perverting the course of justice has been adjourned.
John McGahan (71) and Philip Noel Thompson (54), both with addresses as c/o PsNI, Knock Road, Belfast, were supposed to appear at a preliminary inquiry.
They are charged with perverting the course of justice on dates between February 27 and March 2 1979 by altering a statement from one member of a group that became known as the 'Derry Four', who were charged with shooting a British soldier dead in February 1979.
The four had always maintained that any admissions they made had been extracted under duress and fabricated.
They went on the run and their names were cleared in 1998.
Yesterday a solicitor for the two former RUC men said that while they had received papers in the case one of their clients was working out of the country and the other was on holiday and had not yet been contacted. he asked for an adjournment until June 27. Deputy District Judge Peter King said he would grant the adjournment but the Pe must go ahead on that date.