A pensioner charged with murdering two British soldiers 49 years ago needs to be vaccinated before the case can progress, a court in Belfast has been told.
It will take another three months for John Downey to receive his Covid-19 jabs and be able to have face-to-face legal consultations, a judge was told.
The 69-year-old is being prosecuted over a bomb attack which killed Ulster Defence Regiment members Alfred Johnston and James Eames in Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh.
Downey, of Creeslough in Co Donegal, was extradited from the Republic in October 2019.
Lance Corporal Johnston and Private Eames died in an explosion on the Irvinestown Road back in August 1972.
Downey is also charged with aiding and abetting an explosion likely to endanger life.
The case against him involves alleged fingerprint evidence on insulating tape used to construct the device.
He is currently on bail, and was granted permission to return home to Co Donegal at the start of the pandemic in March 2020 due to underlying health problems.
Amid delays in holding a preliminary inquiry into the strength of the case, a senior Crown lawyer expressed "deep frustration" at the rate of progress.
But defence counsel Greg Berry QC told Belfast Magistrates' Court that because of Downey's age he has not yet qualified to be vaccinated under the Republic programme.
"If Mr Downey gets this by the end of July I would hope all three (members) of his legal team would also have had their vaccinations and be ready to go and consult," he added.
The barrister ruled out any remote video conferencing with his client due to the sensitivity of the case.
District Judge Fiona Bagnall adjourned the case for four weeks.