Sean Connery says poor health stopping him giving evidence in court case

SIR Sean Connery has told a Spanish court he cannot appear to give evidence in the case of an allegedly shady property deal.

The 80-year-old former Bond films star wrote to the judge explaining he cannot travel to Spain because of his age and unspecified health issues, a court official said today.

Sir Sean and wife Micheline Roquebrune had been summoned to testify in Marbella today. They have not been charged with a crime in the affair known in Spain as the "Goldfinger Case."

The official said the magistrate will decide next week how to proceed.

The probe involves a beachfront mansion near Marbella that Sir Sean used to own which was allegedly illegally re-zoned to allow condominiums to be built.