A Belfast restaurateur was acquitted yesterday of handling stolen antiques worth thousands of pounds.
A Crown Court jury took less than 45 minutes to clear Mr Jean Marie Delbart (46), of seven charges involving antique silver, paintings, clocks and items of furniture worth nearly Pounds 60,000.
The antiques were stolen in a series of burglaries, mainly in the Republic, in 1994. Mr Delbart was arrested in London in September 1994 when police searched his car and found a number of stolen items.
