Seven men from north Belfast were in court yesterday on a £50,000 blackmail charge.
They were accused of demanding the money with menaces from a businessman in the Mallusk area of Belfast.
The defendants are Mr Neil Gray (21) and Mr James Evans (24), both of Silverstream Road; Mr Gary Owens (35), of Silverstream Crescent; Mr John Gray (23), of Benview Drive; Mr Kenneth Lucas (36), of Forthriver Road; Mr Samuel Telford (40), of Ballysillan Drive, and Mr Alan Chivers (40), of Clare Glen, Ballysillan Park.
All except Mr Chivers were also charged with robbing the businessman of £1,000 last Friday.
The defendants denied the charges and were remanded in custody until March 26th.
