Adrian Ismay murder trial: Accused Christopher Robinson will not give evidence

Defence counsel Arthur Harvey QC told trial judge Mr Justice McAlinden that Christopher Alphonsus Robinson had been advised that if he did not give evidence the court could “draw an inference’’ from that refusal.

Mr Harvey told the non-jury Diplock-style trial sitting in Belfast Crown Court: “My instructions are that he does not intend to give evidence.’’

Robinson, 49, of Aspen Walk, Dunmurry, denies murdering 52-year-old Mr Ismay on March 15, 2016.

He further denies charges of possessing an improvised explosive device and providing money or property for the purposes of terrorism.

Mr Ismay was travelling to work from his home at Hillsborough Drive in east Belfast on March 4, 2016, when the device exploded under his Volkswagen Transporter vehicle.

Although he initially survived the blast, the prison officer died 11 days later from his injuries.

The defence were due today to call a priest to give evidence in the case but Mr Harvey told the court that an oral statement would instead be handed into court along with a number of medical reports.

Both the Crown and the defence are due to make their closing submissions in the case, which first started in October 2018 and resumed in June 2019 following a seven-month adjournment.

At the opening of the trial 15 months ago, the prosecution showed CCTV footage of a Citroen car being driven into the victim’s street hours before the attack.

It is the prosecution case that the vehicle was used in the murder plot.