The first person to be charged with membership of the outlawed Loyalist Volunteer Force appeared at Belfast Magistrates' Court yesterday. Mr Joseph McClelland (42), from Castlerobin Road, in the Belvoir area of South Belfast, was also charged with blackmail and another offence.
The first charge alleges that between October 6th and November 20th he demanded £10,000 with menaces from a businessman in the Lisburn area, described as Witness A.
He was also charged with soliciting money or property from Witness A for the LVF during the same period and with membership of the LVF on October 10th. He was remanded in custody to the Maze Court on December 17th.