TEN people are facing prosecution in connection with the UVF murder of Belfast community worker Ian Ogle.

Charges have been brought against nine men and one woman, it was confirmed in court today.

Five of them have been accused of involvement in the killing.

But a hearing to decide if they should all be sent for trial was put on hold to the New Year so defence teams have time to examine all the evidence in the case.

A judge at Belfast Magistrates’ Court was told eight files of material were served on them last week.

Solicitor Pearse MacDermott, who represents one of the accused, said: “There’s quite a bit of reading to be done.”

Mr Ogle, 45, was beaten and stabbed to death near his home at Cluan Place in the east of the city in January 2019.

The attack was said to have lasted for around 30 seconds.

Previous courts were told he is believed to have been targeted in response to an altercation earlier the same night.

A number of men arrived at the scene, allegedly launched the fatal assault and then fled.

Three men were originally charged with the murder. They are 41-year-old Mark Sewell, Jonathan Brown, 35, and 34-year-old Glenn Rainey.

The trio, all from Belfast, are on bail, but their addresses cannot be disclosed due to suspected paramilitary death threats.

Another two men, aged 37 and 39, are to face prosecution for murder following a review of the case.

The Public Prosecution Service has also decided that a further four men and a woman should be charged with associated offences, including assisting offenders, withholding information and perverting the course of justice.

None of those suspects are being named at this stage because summons papers for them to appear were not before the court.

District Judge Peter Magill was informed the case cannot get underway at this stage.

Adjourning proceedings to January 14, he said a date for preliminary enquiry will be fixed at that stage.