The council's court case against adult entertainment outlet, Miss Behavin' was adjourned at Belfast Magistrates Court last Tuesday.

That makes the FOURTH time this year the charge against the Gresham Street shop of "using premises as a sex establishment without a licence" has not been heard!

But the case against Miss Behavin's owner is almost certain to be finally heard on Tuesday.

Proceedings against the Smithfield sex shop ground to a halt last July after Miss Behavin's legal team revealed that it was planning to bring Belfast City Council to the European Court of Human Rights, for refusing to grant it a licence.

Court hearings were adjourned in August, September and last week - as a result of the mooted action.

But, with the deadline for lodging the Strasbourg application passing last Thursday, insiders at Belfast City Council are now optimistic that the case will be dealt with this week.

A Belfast City Council spokesman declined to make any comment on the sex shop saga, which has been running since May 2002.

However, a council insider told Sunday Life that officers are "fed up" and "just want it dealt with, as soon as possible".

"People are really fed up with this. As far as they are concerned, this European Court of Human Rights thing is a delaying tactic and is just putting off the inevitable, in a Belfast court", the source said.

jmcgurk@belfasttelegraph.co.uk