The alleged offences, which include nine counts of fraud by abuse of position, four of false accounting and a single count of theft, are said to have taken place between July 2013 and June 2014.

The case has been listed since 2019 but repeatedly adjourned due to bouts of serious illness on the part of Mr Downey, Armagh I reports.

However, Judge Michael Ranaghan warned that the patience of the court was running out and the matter had “dragged on too long”.

The case has been adjourned until Friday 25 March, at which point a date for committal to the Crown Court will be fixed.