Shoukri pleads guilty to charges

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Leading loyalist Andre Shoukri has pleaded guilty to 18 charges including blackmail and intimidation.

The charges included using "certain criminal property, namely a money transfer" from a building society to buy his home in November 2004.

He admitted eight charges of acquiring criminal property, five of blackmail, two of intimidation, two of obtaining money transfers by deception.

Sentencing was adjourned until next month.

The case involving Shoukri and three others, had been listed only for "mention" at Belfast Crown Court, but his defence lawyer asked that he be re-arraigned on 18 of the 19 charges he faced.

Co-accused

A prosecution barrister said that the remaining charge was to "remain on the books" and would not proceed.

No details of the charge were given, but he added that the reasons behind the move would be given at a later date.

Shoukri's counsel said his client was now ready for sentence as the defence were not seeking pre-sentence reports in his case.

However, the judge adjourned sentencing until after the trial of Shoukri's former co-accused next month.

No details surrounding the charges involving Shoukri or the three others, William Boreland, 38, of Sunningdale Gardens, Terry Harbinson, 26, of Tyndale Gardens and 47-year-old Ian Peter Craig of Garland Hill, all Belfast, were given to the court.