PROMINENT loyalist Mark Harbinson has had his bail signing conditions and a night-time curfew relaxed ahead of his trial on gun and ammunition offences.
But a judge refused to a defence request to have Harbinson's electronic tagging removed saying he believed it was "essential'' given prosecution concerns that he may "take the chance to take flight'' and leave the jurisdiction again.
Harbinson (57), of Stoneyford Road, Lisburn, Co Antrim, is accused of possession of a Makarov 9mm pistol and silencer in suspicious circumstances in December 2015.
He is also charged with possessing the firearm, silencer and 28 rounds of 9mm ammunition without holding a firearms certificate which were allegedly found in a biscuit tin during a police search of his home at the time in Sheepwalk Road, Stoneyford, He denies all the charges.
A charge of possession a firearm with intent to endanger life was withdrawn by the prosecution in January this year.
During a bail variation hearing today, Belfast Crown Court heard Harbinson wanted to change his address from his brother's home to his parents' home on Stoneyford Road.
He further applied to have his reporting to police reduced from seven days to three days per week, to have his 10pm to 8am curfew relaxed to allow him to work on his parent's farm and to also have his electronic tagging removed.
A prosecution lawyer told Judge Geoffrey Miller QC that Harbinson had to reside at his brother's address as part of his Sexual Offenders Prevention Order (SOPO).
The SOPO was imposed after he was convicted and jailed for three-and-a-half-years for sexually abusing a 13-year-old school girl in October 2009.
His defence team have referred his conviction to the Criminal Cases Review Commmission in England.
Judge Geoffrey Miller QC granted the change of address, but added: "I am not going to remove the tagging as it is essential. I will reduce the reporting to three times per week and I will vary the curfew from 11pm to 7am.''
