Martin Guerin, 68, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to knowingly possessing 901 images and 146 video files of child pornography at his Portmarnock address on 17 September 2014. He was found to have held material depicting children, including girls under 15 and as young as two, in sexual activity, and images of children with exposed genitals. Gardaí traced the material to Guerin via an IP address and seized devices during a search. Guerin admitted responsibility and cooperated with investigators. Judge Martin Nolan, noting no aggravating factors and Guerin's guilty plea, good work history, and lack of prior convictions, imposed a fully suspended sentence of two and a half years, conditional on good behaviour for that period. The court considered a non‑custodial sentence appropriate given the circumstances. No mention of prior convictions or future sentencing was made. The case was presented as a single charge of possession of child pornography.
Richard Joyce, 24, of Swans Nest, Kilbarrack, pleaded guilty to possession of stolen articles on 15 December 2016 in Portmarnock. He stole a TopCon surveying machine, worth €48,000, from a building site and was caught by gardaí while driving. The machine was recovered intact. Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin sentenced Joyce to 18 months, fully suspended for the same period. The judge noted the offence was opportunistic, not pre‑meditated, and that Joyce had no idea of the machine's value. He had previously been convicted of possession of stolen items and failure to appear in court. The judge cited his turbulent childhood, PTSD, depression, anxiety and psychosis, and his history of addiction, as factors in the decision to suspend the sentence and encourage rehabilitation.
Martin Guerin, 68, brother of the late crime journalist Veronica Guerin, pleaded guilty on 17 September 2014 to knowingly possessing 901 images and 146 video files of child pornography at his Portmarnock home. He was arraigned at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where Judge Patricia Ryan adjourned sentencing to October and remanded him on continuing bail. Prosecutor John Berry noted the hearing would last about 30 minutes. Guerin had earlier been charged under Section 6(1) of the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998 and had been granted bail on a €100 bond with no conditions.
Derek Murphy, 49, of Coolock, pleaded guilty to threatening a doctor with a gun gesture after she reduced his methadone dosage. The threat was made on 30 October 2013 while he was at a drug treatment centre. Murphy had been on bail for a 12‑year robbery and firearms conviction from 2015 and had 42 prior convictions, including manslaughter, robbery and a tiger kidnapping. In 2018 he was convicted of robbery again and received a nine‑year sentence, with a release date of 13 June 2025. The court found it "unjust" to extend his custody and sentenced him to one year imprisonment to run concurrently with his existing nine‑year term. No additional time was imposed. The case was heard in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Conor O'Hora, 41, of Portmarnock, was sentenced to three years in prison for harassing RTÉ newsreader Sharon Ní Bheoláin and for three counts of possessing child pornography. He pleaded guilty to harassing Ní Bheoláin between March 2013 and January 2014, which involved posting over 30 altered photographs of her on a website and engaging in 40 sexually explicit and violent online conversations. He also pleaded guilty to knowingly possessing child pornography on a mobile phone and a computer hard drive, with 93 images of children aged eight to 17 found on his devices. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a four‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspending the final 18 months, and ordered O'Hora not to contact Ní Bheoláin. He was also required to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for 18 months under probation supervision. The court noted his cooperation with Gardaí and his efforts at rehabilitation. The co‑accused received an 18‑month suspended sentence earlier this year.
Conor O'Hora, 41, of Heather Walk, Portmarnock, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to harassing RTÉ newsreader Sharon Ní Bheoláin between 27 March 2013 and 7 January 2014 and to three counts of knowingly possessing child pornography. The harassment involved posting over 30 modified photographs of Ní Bheoláin on a website reachable via a Google search of her name. The child‑pornography charges concerned roughly 100 images of children in sexually explicit activity and 40 explicit online conversations between O'Hora and a co‑accused. The images were found on O'Hora's HP Pavilion laptop and iPhone, depicting children aged eight to 17, including three identified children. O'Hora was remanded overnight pending sentencing; Judge Martin Nolan warned that he would certainly face jail for his "debasing behaviour" and "insidious harassment." The court heard that the co‑accused had received an 18‑month suspended sentence earlier this year, now being appealed by the DPP for undue leniency.
Conor O'Hora, 40, of Heather Walk, Portmarnock, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to harassing RTÉ newsreader Sharon Ní Bheoláin between 27 March 2013 and 7 January 2014 without lawful authority or excuse. He also pleaded guilty to knowingly possessing child pornography on a hard drive on 18 February 2014. His defence counsel, Pieter Le Vert BL, argued the plea was based on recklessness and requested time for a therapeutic report before sentencing. Judge Martin Nolan set the sentencing hearing for 16 May 2018, when full facts will be considered.
Conor O'Hora, 40, of Heather Walk, Portmarnock, is scheduled to plead at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 20 February. He faces three charges: harassment of RTÉ newsreader Sharon Ní Bheoláin at various locations from 20 October 2013 to 16 February 2014, and two counts of possessing child pornography in text communications and images during the same period. O'Hora appeared before Judge Martin Nolan today. No Garda objection has been raised to the bail conditions set in October, which require him to remain at his current address and to have no direct or indirect contact with anyone involved in the investigation.
Adam McCarthy, a 24‑year‑old college student, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm after he punched and kicked Niall McHale during a taxi dispute outside the White Sands Hotel nightclub in Portmarnock on 27 December 2014. McHale, who had returned from London for Christmas holidays, was knocked unconscious, suffered a brief loss of consciousness, and received seven stitches to the head along with bruising and lacerations. McCarthy was restrained by nightclub bouncers until Gardaí arrived. At a sentence hearing in November, Judge Melanie Greally considered a probation report and ordered McCarthy to complete 240 hours of community service within 12 months in lieu of a one‑year jail term. The judge noted McCarthy's remorse, background, completion of an anger‑management course, and his efforts to curb drinking. McHale's family was requested to receive €5,000 from McCarthy's court‑ordered funds to support Headway Ireland. The court accepted McCarthy's apology and the financial restitution he offered.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 16 November 2016, Adam McCarthy, a 24‑year‑old college student, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to Niall McHale outside Tamango's Nightclub in Portmarnock on 27 December 2014. McCarthy had joined a group that cut in line for a taxi, and when McHale protested that the taxi was not theirs, McCarthy punched him above the right eye, causing McHale to fall and lose consciousness. McHale was then kicked in the head, sustaining bruising, lacerations and seven stitches. McCarthy was restrained by nightclub bouncers before Gardaí arrived. McHale, who had been housebound for most of the Christmas holidays, was taken to Beaumont Hospital. McCarthy, who has no prior convictions, apologized in a letter and offered €5,000 to McHale's family, to be donated to a charity of their choice. Judge Melanie Greally noted the seriousness of a head kick, considered the possibility of community service, and adjourned sentencing to 8 February 2017.
In a landmark case, Denis Casey, former Group Chief Executive of Irish Life and Permanent Group, was found guilty of a €7.2 billion conspiracy to defraud. The trial, the longest in Irish history, lasted 14 days with 61 hours of jury deliberation. Casey, aged 56, and three other ex‑banking executives had pleaded not guilty to charges of misleading investors, depositors and lenders about Anglo's financial health in 2008. The jury also convicted Anglo's former head of capital markets, John Bowe (52), and finance director Willie McAteer (65) of conspiring to mislead the public about Anglo's balance sheet, while Peter Fitzpatrick (63) was acquitted after 47 hours of deliberation. The scheme involved a circular transaction that inflated Anglo's customer deposits from €44 bn to €51 bn, a 16 % increase, by moving €7.2 bn between ILP and Anglo through Irish Life Assurance.
The jury in the trial of former Irish Life and Permanent CEO Denis Casey, aged 56, will resume deliberations tomorrow morning after 58 hours of discussion over 13 days. Casey and three other former banking executives were charged with conspiring to defraud by a €7.2 billion scheme intended to mislead investors, depositors and lenders about Anglo Irish Bank's true financial health in 2008. The jury had previously convicted Anglo's former head of capital markets John Bowe (52) and the bank's former finance director Willie McAteer (65) of conspiring to mislead the public about the bank's balance sheet, and had found Peter Fitzpatrick (63) not guilty after nearly 47 hours of deliberation. The case centers on a circular transaction scheme that allegedly inflated Anglo's customer deposits from €44 billion to €51 billion, a 16 % increase, to present a stronger financial position.
The jury in the conspiracy‑to‑defraud trial of former Irish Life and Permanent CEO Denis Casey, aged 56, will resume deliberations tomorrow morning after 53 hours of discussion. Casey and three other former banking executives had pleaded not guilty to a €7.2 billion scheme intended to mislead investors, depositors and lenders about Anglo Irish Bank's true health in 2008. The trial, the longest criminal case in the State's history, reached day 87 when Judge Martin Nolan told the jury to return in the morning. Earlier, the jury had convicted Anglo's former head of capital markets John Bowe (52) and finance director Willie McAteer (65) of conspiring to mislead the public about the bank's balance sheet, and had found Peter Fitzpatrick (63) not guilty after 47 hours of deliberation.
In the longest criminal trial in Irish history, jurors at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court acquitted former ILP Finance Director Peter Fitzpatrick of conspiring to mislead investors. The verdict followed nearly 47 hours of deliberations, the longest in the State's history. Judge Martin Nolan discharged Fitzpatrick from the indictment. This leaves former ILP CEO Denis Casey as the sole remaining defendant in the trial, which began in mid-January. Casey is accused of conspiring with others to mislead investors by establishing a €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme between March 1 and September 30, 2008, intended to bolster Anglo Irish Bank's balance sheet. He pleaded not guilty to these charges. Earlier in the trial, Anglo's former head of capital markets, John Bowe, and then finance director Willie McAteer were convicted of the same offence. Both men, who also pleaded not guilty, have been remanded on bail pending sentence until July 25. The prosecution alleged the scheme artificially inflated Anglo's customer deposits from €44 billion to €51 billion. Defence counsel for Casey and Fitzpatrick argued their clients had no control over Anglo's accounting and no intention to mislead the public. The jury will continue considering a verdict on Casey's case.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, former Irish Life and Permanent finance director Peter Fitzpatrick, aged 63, was acquitted of conspiracy charges relating to a €7.2 billion scheme that allegedly defrauded Anglo Irish Bank in 2008. The jury, after nearly 47 hours of deliberation, returned a not‑guilty verdict. Fitzpatrick, who had pleaded not guilty, was discharged from the indictment by Judge Martin Nolan. The case involved allegations that Fitzpatrick, along with former ILP CEO Denis Casey (56), Anglo's former head of capital markets John Bowe (52), and Anglo's former finance director Willie McAteer (65), conspired to mislead investors, depositors and lenders by creating a circular transaction scheme between March 1 and September 30 2008. The scheme purportedly inflated Anglo's customer deposits from €44 billion to €51 billion, a 16 % increase. Fitzpatrick's lawyers argued that the deposits were genuine and properly accounted for, while the prosecution alleged intent to deceive. The other accused, Casey, remains on trial.
The jury in the trial of former Irish Life & Permanent executives has been informed that it may return a majority verdict. After 44 hours and 26 minutes of deliberation over eleven days, Judge Martin Nolan announced that a verdict agreed to by ten of the eleven jurors would be acceptable, a change from the previous requirement for unanimity. The jury had already convicted Anglo's former head of capital markets, John Bowe (52), and the bank's former finance director, Willie McAteer (65), for conspiring to mislead investors, depositors and lenders about Anglo's financial health. They were remanded on bail pending sentencing until 25 July. The jury has not yet returned verdicts in the cases of former ILP chief executive Denis Casey (56) and finance director Peter Fitzpatrick (63), who are accused of conspiring to mislead investors through a €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme in 2008. The trial, now on day 86, remains the longest criminal trial in Irish history. Denis Casey pleaded not guilty. Peter Fitzpatrick pleaded not guilty.
The jury in the trial of former Irish Life & Permanent executives Denis Casey (56) and Peter Fitzpatrick (63) has been sent home after nine days of deliberations, with no verdict yet. Judge Martin Nolan of the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court ordered the jury to return the next day to continue. The case concerns a €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme in 2008 that allegedly misled investors, depositors and lenders about Anglo's financial health. The jury had previously convicted Anglo's former head of capital markets John Bowe (52) and finance director Willie McAteer (65). Denis Casey pleaded not guilty. Peter Fitzpatrick pleaded not guilty.
At the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a jury returned majority verdicts finding former Anglo Irish Bank executives John Bowe and Willie McAteer guilty of conspiring to mislead investors. The trial, which marked the longest criminal trial in the State's history, concluded on day 84 after 38 hours of deliberations. The prosecution alleged that Bowe and McAteer, along with others, set up a €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme between March 1 and September 30, 2008, to artificially bolster Anglo's balance sheet. The scheme allegedly involved Anglo lending money to Irish Life and Permanent (ILP), which was then returned to Anglo via Irish Life Assurance to be recorded as customer deposits. This inflated the reported customer deposits from €44 billion to €51 billion. Both Bowe and McAteer had pleaded not guilty to the charges. Judge Martin Nolan remanded the two men on continuing bail until Friday, noting there was no objection to bail. The jury is still considering charges against former ILP chief executive Denis Casey and his 2008 finance director, Peter Fitzpatrick. Casey and Fitzpatrick also pleaded not guilty to the same conspiracy charges. The matter regarding Casey and Fitzpatrick remains under deliberation and has not been finalised.
The jury in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial of four former Anglo Irish Bank bankers—John Bowe, Willie McAteer, Denis Casey and Peter Fitzpatrick—has been sent home after 33 hours of deliberation over seven days. The case, the longest criminal trial in Irish history, alleges the men conspired to mislead investors by creating a €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme between 1 March and 30 September 2008 to strengthen Anglo's balance sheet. All four pleaded not guilty. Judge Martin Nolan ordered the jury to resume tomorrow for an eighth day of deliberation.
In the longest criminal trial in Irish history, a juror has been hospitalised and will not be able to finish deliberations. The jury has been debating for about 28 hours over six days in the case against four former Anglo Irish Bank executives who are accused of conspiring to mislead investors about the bank's financial health. The trial is being held at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and is now on day 82. Judge Martin Nolan received a note from the jury foreman that a female juror is in hospital and will be unavailable for at least a week. The judge agreed to allow the remaining 11 jurors to continue deliberating. The accused—John Bowe (52), Willie McAteer (65), Denis Casey (56) and Peter Fitzpatrick (63)—have all pleaded not guilty to conspiracy charges involving a €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme from 1 March to 30 September 2008. The case will resume tomorrow for a seventh day of deliberation.
In the longest criminal trial in Irish history, four former bankers—John Bowe, Willie McAteer, Denis Casey and Peter Fitzpatrick—were accused of conspiring to defraud the public by orchestrating a €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme between 1 March and 30 September 2008. The jury, which had been deliberating for over 23 hours after a 78‑day trial, was suspended when a juror was hospitalised. Judge Martin Nolan adjourned the proceedings until Monday morning, expecting the juror to recover by the following week. Peter Fitzpatrick pleaded not guilty.
The jury in the trial of four former Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Life & Permanent executives, accused of conspiracy to defraud the public in 2008, was sent home after six days of deliberations. The defendants—John Bowe, Willie McAteer, Denis Casey and Peter Fitzpatrick—were charged with conspiring to mislead investors by creating a €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme between 1 March and 30 September 2008 to strengthen Anglo's balance sheet. Judge Martin Nolan reminded jurors to base their verdict solely on evidence presented in court. The jury will resume tomorrow morning. Peter Fitzpatrick pleaded not guilty.
The jury in the Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Life & Permanent trial has finished its fifth day of deliberations after an 80‑day hearing, the longest criminal trial in Irish history. Four former executives—John Bowe, Willie McAteer, Denis Casey and Peter Fitzpatrick—are accused of conspiring to mislead investors by creating a €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme between 1 March and 30 September 2008 to strengthen Anglo's balance sheet. All four pleaded not guilty. The jury will resume deliberations tomorrow morning.
The jury in the Anglo Irish Bank conspiracy trial, which has been in session for 79 days, was sent home for the day after a juror fell ill. The four former executives—John Bowe, Willie McAteer, Denis Casey and Peter Fitzpatrick—are accused of conspiring to mislead investors about Anglo's financial health by creating a €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme between March and September 2008. The scheme allegedly involved Anglo lending money to Irish Life & Permanent (ILP), which then returned the money through its assurance arm, Irish Life Assurance, to Anglo. The prosecution claims the deposits were treated as customer deposits to inflate Anglo's balance sheet from €44 billion to €51 billion, a 16 % increase. The defendants maintain the deposits were legitimate and were correctly recorded, and that they had no intention to defraud the public. The jury will resume deliberations tomorrow at 10 am. Peter Fitzpatrick pleaded not guilty.
The jury in the trial of four former Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Life & Permanent executives has been sent home after a third day of deliberations. The defendants – John Bowe, Willie McAteer, Denis Casey and Peter Fitzpatrick – are accused of conspiring to mislead investors about Anglo's financial health by setting up a €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme between 1 March and 30 September 2008. The scheme allegedly involved Anglo lending money to ILP, which then returned the money via Irish Life Assurance, treating the deposits as customer deposits rather than inter‑bank loans. The prosecution claims this inflated Anglo's customer deposits from €44 bn to €51 bn, a 16 % increase, thereby misleading readers of the bank's accounts. The defendants have pleaded not guilty, and their lawyers argue the deposits were legitimate and correctly accounted for, with no intent to defraud the public. The trial, the longest criminal case in Irish history, will resume on Monday.
The jury in the trial of four former Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Life & Permanent executives, accused of conspiracy to defraud in 2008, was sent home after a second full day of deliberations. The defendants—Denis Casey (56), John Bowe (52), Willie McAteer (65) and Peter Fitzpatrick (63)—had pleaded not guilty to charges that they conspired to mislead investors by setting up a €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme between 1 March and 30 September 2008. The scheme allegedly involved Anglo lending money to ILP, which then returned the money via Irish Life Assurance, treating the deposits as customer deposits to inflate Anglo's balance sheet from €44 billion to €51 billion. The prosecution argued the scheme was designed to mislead readers of Anglo's accounts, while the defence maintained the deposits were real, correctly accounted for, and that the defendants had no intention to mislead the public.
The jury in the trial of four former Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Life & Permanent executives, accused of conspiracy to defraud in 2008, was sent home after just over three hours of deliberation and will resume on Thursday. The defendants—Peter Fitzpatrick (63), Denis Casey (56), John Bowe (52) and Willie McAteer (65)—all pleaded not guilty to conspiring to mislead investors by creating a €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme between March 1 and September 30, 2008. The scheme involved Anglo lending money to ILP, which returned it via Irish Life Assurance, making the deposits appear as customer deposits and inflating Anglo's balance sheet from €44 bn to €51 bn. The prosecution presented 545 exhibits, including transcripts of telephone calls, and the jury received a laptop and USB keys with searchable indexes. The trial, now the longest criminal trial in Irish history, will continue with a 12‑member jury after a ballot reduced the enlarged jury of 13.
The jury in the trial of four former Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Life & Permanent executives accused of conspiracy to defraud has resumed deliberations after receiving an index of 545 exhibits. The accused—Peter Fitzpatrick (63), Denis Casey (56), John Bowe (52) and Willie McAteer (65)—had pleaded not guilty to conspiring to mislead investors by creating a €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme between March and September 2008. The scheme involved Anglo lending money to ILP, which returned it via Irish Life Assurance, making the deposits appear as customer deposits and inflating Anglo's balance sheet from €44 bn to €51 bn. The prosecution argued the scheme's sole purpose was to mislead the public. Judge Martin Nolan asked the jury to resume deliberations, and the jury received a searchable index on USB keys and hard‑copy folders from all five legal teams.
In the longest‑running Irish trial, four former Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Life & Permanent executives—Peter Fitzpatrick (63), Denis Casey (56), John Bowe (52) and Willie McAteer (65)—are accused of conspiring to mislead investors by creating a €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme between March and September 2008. The scheme allegedly involved Anglo lending money to ILP, which returned it via Irish Life Assurance, with the deposits treated as customer deposits to inflate Anglo's balance sheet from €44 bn to €51 bn. The prosecution argues the scheme was dishonest and intended to mislead the public, while the defence claims the defendants authorised the transactions in good faith and were not personally profiting. Judge Martin Nolan outlined the legal issues, emphasising that the jury must be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the scheme was dishonest and that each defendant was involved before any conviction can be made. The trial is ongoing. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
Judge Martin Nolan addressed a jury in the longest-running Irish trial, stating that four former Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Life & Permanent executives—Peter Fitzpatrick (63), Denis Casey (56), John Bowe (52) and Willie McAteer (65)—are entitled to a fair hearing and that prejudice must be avoided. The defendants are charged with conspiring to mislead investors by arranging a €7.2 billion circular transaction between March 1 and September 30, 2008 to strengthen Anglo's balance sheet. At the end of day 74, Nolan began his charge, emphasizing the need for impartiality. Defenders Brendan Grehan SC and Michael O'Higgin SC argued that the prosecution failed to prove intent or personal gain, citing the absence of evidence of fraud or stolen funds and the lack of a "smoking gun." They contended that the defendants were unaware of any wrongdoing and that the alleged scheme was a misguided attempt to support Anglo during a period of financial distress. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty. Peter Fitzpatrick pleaded not guilty. Denis Casey pleaded not guilty. John Bowe pleaded not guilty. Willie McAteer pleaded not guilty.
In a closing‑stage criminal trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, four former executives from Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Life & Permanent (ILP) were accused of conspiring to defraud investors by misrepresenting Anglo's financial health through a €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme between 1 March and 30 September 2008. The defendants – Denis Casey (56), Peter Fitzpatrick (63), John Bowe (52) and Willie McAteer (65) – pleaded not guilty. Defence counsel argued that the Financial Regulator's actions, while not approving the deal in advance, were consistent with approving it after 30 September, and that the transactions were not dishonest or criminal. The prosecution presented evidence that the Regulator was aware of the deal in detail by October, before Anglo's balance sheet was published in December.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, former Anglo Irish Bank executive John Bowe, aged 52, was described by his defence counsel as "open and frank" with the Financial Regulator, claiming he believed no wrongdoing had occurred. The case involves Bowe and three other ex‑executives—Willie McAteer (65), Denis Casey (56) and Peter Fitzpatrick (63)—who are charged with conspiring to mislead investors through a €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme from 1 March to 30 September 2008. Defence lawyer Diarmaid McGuinness SC presented evidence that Bowe discussed the scheme with regulator Mary Elizabeth Donoghue in October 2008, describing the arrangement as "balance sheet dressing" or "window dressing" and stating it was not about liquidity. Denis Casey pleaded not guilty. Peter Fitzpatrick pleaded not guilty.
In a conspiracy‑to‑defraud trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, four former Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Life & Permanent executives—John Bowe, Willie McAteer, Denis Casey and Peter Fitzpatrick—were charged with conspiring to mislead investors about Anglo Irish Bank's financial health. The prosecution alleged that between 1 March and 30 September 2008 the accused authorised a €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme to inflate Anglo's customer deposits. The State's case centred on the claim that the ILP executives were aware of Anglo's intent to misrepresent the deal on its balance sheet and that they knowingly participated in a scheme that did not provide real liquidity. The defence argued that the executives believed the transactions were legitimate collateralised deals and that they had no control over Anglo's accounting. The trial was ongoing, with the jury instructed to consider whether the accused intended to mislead the public. The case was still pending at the time of reporting. Denis Casey pleaded not guilty. Peter Fitzpatrick pleaded not guilty.
The trial of four former Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Life & Permanent executives for conspiracy to defraud has entered its final phase. John Bowe, Willie McAteer, Denis Casey and Peter Fitzpatrick, all pleading not guilty, are accused of orchestrating a €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme between 1 March and 30 September 2008 to inflate Anglo's year‑end balance sheet. The scheme involved moving money through a series of corporate deposits that were presented as legitimate bank deposits, thereby misleading investors, depositors and lenders who relied on the published accounts. The prosecution, led by DPP counsel Una Ní Raifeartaigh, argued that the executives knowingly implemented the transactions with the intent to deceive. The jury, after hearing the state's case, will deliberate on the evidence presented by the defendants' lawyers. The trial is scheduled to conclude with closing speeches and a final verdict.
The State has finished presenting its evidence in the Anglo‑ILP conspiracy trial, where four former bank executives—Peter Fitzpatrick (63), Denis Casey (56), John Bowe (52) and Willie McAteer (65)—were accused of conspiring to mislead investors by arranging a seven‑billion‑euro circular transaction scheme to inflate Anglo Irish Bank's balance sheet. The defendants pleaded not guilty to conspiracy charges relating to financial transactions between 1 March and 30 September 2008. On day 67, the Director of Public Prosecutions informed Judge Martin Nolan that the State's case was complete, and the trial moved to the legal argument stage. The prosecution's case centred on back‑to‑back deals between Anglo and Irish Life & Permanent (ILP) aimed at boosting Anglo's deposits figure for its year‑end accounts.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, former ILP head of finance Peter Fitzpatrick, aged 63, denied acting alone in a March 2008 transaction that allegedly moved €1 billion from Anglo Irish Bank to ILP and €750 million back to Anglo via ILP's non‑banking subsidiary, Irish Life Assurance. Fitzpatrick said he had received approval from ILP chief executive Denis Casey, who had been instructed by the regulator to pursue a "green jersey" agenda of mutual support among Irish banks. Fitzpatrick claimed Casey had directed him to execute the deal and that it was risk‑free for ILP. He also stated that the transaction was a back‑to‑back, collateralised arrangement and that he could not have proceeded without Casey's approval. The case involves four former executives who all pleaded not guilty to conspiracy charges relating to the alleged €7.2 billion circular scheme. The trial is ongoing.
In 2016, former Irish Life & Permanent chief executive Denis Casey, aged 56, was questioned by Gardaí about authorising a €7.2 billion transaction with Anglo Irish Bank. Casey claimed he did so because he felt obliged to support Anglo under a "green jersey agenda" promoted by the Financial Regulator and Central Bank, which encouraged Irish banks to back each other. He said he believed the transaction was collateralised and would not expose ILP to financial loss. Casey denied that the deal was intended to bolster Anglo's deposits and insisted he had no reason to doubt Anglo's integrity in September 2008. He admitted he only became aware of potential exposure in February 2009. The case is part of a trial where four former executives are charged with conspiring to mislead investors through a circular transaction scheme between March and September 2008. The trial is ongoing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The unnamed accused pleaded not guilty.
Four former executives from Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Life & Permanent (ILP) are on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, having all pleaded not guilty to conspiring to mislead investors through financial transactions between March 1 and September 30, 2008. The accused are Willie McAteer, Denis Casey, Peter Fitzpatrick, and John Bowe. They are alleged to have set up a €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme to bolster Anglo's balance sheet. On day 64 of the trial, Detective Sergeant Catharina Gunne presented evidence of a voluntary statement by Mr. Casey, who served as ILP's Group Chief Executive from May 2007 to February 2009. Mr. Casey alleged that in March 2008, regulators Pat Neary and John Hurley requested ILP support a "green jersey agenda" to provide mutual in-market support during the global banking crisis. He stated he would not authorize transactions contrary to regulator wishes or company law. The jury also heard evidence of a 2010 cautioned interview with Mr. McAteer, who disputed that the deal manipulated Anglo's balance sheet. He maintained the transactions were properly accounted for and brought to the Audit Committee's attention, denying awareness of the inter-bank deal mechanics. The trial continues before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.
In a trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, four former Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Life & Permanent executives—John Bowe, Willie McAteer, Denis Casey and Peter Fitzpatrick—were charged with conspiring to mislead investors by arranging a €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme between March 1 and September 30 2008. Bowe, a 52‑year‑old Glasnevin resident, testified that the scheme involved depositing money into ILP, which would then transfer it to Irish Life and back to Anglo, creating a "circle" that was difficult to unwind. He described the €7.2 billion deal as a "big funny" to chairman Sean FitzPatrick and claimed the deposits were legitimate and carried normal risks. Bowe denied any intent to misrepresent Anglo's year‑end position. The case is ongoing before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury, with evidence including recorded telephone calls and Garda interviews. Denis Casey pleaded not guilty. Peter Fitzpatrick pleaded not guilty.
Four former executives from Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Life and Permanent are on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, facing charges of conspiring to mislead investors through financial transactions between March 1 and September 30, 2008. The defendants, John Bowe, Willie McAteer, Denis Casey, and Peter Fitzpatrick, have all pleaded not guilty. On day 61 of the trial, the jury heard evidence from John Bowe, who told gardai he had only a "peripheral awareness" of the €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme with Irish Life and Permanent. Bowe, who was head of Capital Markets at Anglo in 2008, stated he did not consider the transactions wrong, though he acknowledged they were large and unusual. He claimed he only learned the final deal figure on September 30 or October 1, 2008. Bowe also testified that Anglo would have collapsed on September 30, 2008, without emergency overnight funding of over €1 billion from the Central Bank. The court heard an email from former CEO David Drumm urging executives to generate liquidity during the banking crisis. Detective Sergeant Gerard Doyle testified that Bowe was not under arrest when his witness statement was finalized between September 2010 and February 2011, with his solicitor present. The trial continues before Judge Martin Nolan and a 13-member jury.
During a trial in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, former Irish Life Assurance CEO Denis Casey, aged 56, testified that he only learned of a €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme with Anglo Irish Bank through media reports months after the alleged deception. The scheme, allegedly designed to inflate Anglo's 2008 balance sheet, involved Anglo loaning €7.2 billion to Irish Life and Permanent (ILP), which then placed the same amount back with Anglo, recorded as customer deposits. Casey, along with former senior bankers Peter Fitzpatrick (63), John Bowe (52), and Willie McAteer (65), pleaded not guilty to conspiring to mislead investors between 1 March and 30 September 2008. Evidence presented included testimony from Kevin Murphy, who said he first became aware of the deals via February 2009 media reports and later detailed information from the regulator. The jury heard that Murphy succeeded Casey as ILP Group Chief Executive in mid‑2009.
In the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, four former senior bankers – Denis Casey, Peter Fitzpatrick, John Bowe and Willie McAteer – pleaded not guilty to conspiracy charges for allegedly misleading investors through a €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme that aimed to strengthen Anglo Irish Bank's 2008 balance sheet. The alleged scheme involved financial transactions between March 1 and September 30, 2008. During the trial, former AIB Group Finance Director John O'Donnell testified that in early 2008 he attended a meeting with the Financial Regulator, who urged Irish banks to support each other's liquidity. O'Donnell recalled a golf game with Anglo's CFO Matt Moran, after which Moran approached him in a car park with a proposal for a deposit arrangement that would avoid appearing as an inter‑bank placement. O'Donnell said he later rejected the proposal and communicated this to Moran. The case is still before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.
Four former senior bankers from Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Life and Permanent (ILP) are on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where they have all pleaded not guilty to conspiring together and with others to mislead investors through financial transactions between March 1st and September 30th, 2008. The defendants, Willie McAteer, Denis Casey, Peter Fitzpatrick, and John Bowe, are alleged to have set up a €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme to bolster Anglo's 2008 balance sheet. In testimony, David McCarthy, ILP's Chief Financial Officer in September 2008, stated he had no knowledge of the €7.2 billion inter-bank loan with Anglo Irish Bank at the time. McCarthy, a qualified chartered accountant who joined ILP in 1994, reported to Peter Fitzpatrick, then Finance Director. He told the court he only learned of the sum in November 2008, noting that under accounting rules, such linked loans and deposits would be netted on the balance sheet, creating no liquidity. McCarthy estimated the amount represented about 16 per cent of ILP's balance sheet at the time. The trial continues before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.
The trial of four former senior bankers, including Denis Casey and Peter Fitzpatrick, continues at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury. All defendants, who have pleaded not guilty, are accused of conspiring to mislead investors through financial transactions between March 1st and September 30th, 2008, allegedly involving a €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme to bolster Anglo Irish Bank's 2008 balance sheet. On day 55 of the proceedings, Michael O'Higgins SC, defending Casey, cross-examined State expert witness Mark Hunt, a chartered accountant. Mr. Hunt previously testified that the deal lacked commercial or economic substance and was not covered by accounting standard IAS 32. During cross-examination, Mr. O'Higgins suggested Mr. Hunt was confused by "labyrinthine" accounting standards and that the global financial situation in September 2008 had caused banks to "fall on their backsides." Mr. Hunt denied being confused, acknowledging the complexity of the standards but rejecting the characterization that the world had fallen apart. He maintained that the transactions were designed to move numbers on a balance sheet. The matter remains at the trial stage, with no findings, sentences, or finalisations recorded for the accused.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, four former senior bankers – John Bowe, Willie McAteer, Denis Casey and Peter Fitzpatrick – pleaded not guilty to conspiracy charges for allegedly misleading investors by arranging a €7.2 billion back‑to‑back deal to inflate Anglo Irish Bank's 2008 balance sheet. The scheme, which took place between 1 March and 30 September 2008, was said to have no commercial or economic substance, according to expert witness Mark Hunt, a chartered accountant with experience at the Bank of England and the UK's financial conduct authority. Hunt explained that the balance sheet is a snapshot of assets and liabilities at a specific point in time, not an average financial statement, and that the bank's manipulation of the figures was achieved through artificial means. The trial, presided over by Judge Martin Nolan, continues with a jury and is expected to conclude next month.
In the Anglo trial, four former senior bankers—Peter Fitzpatrick, John Bowe, Willie McAteer and Denis Casey—are accused of conspiring to mislead investors by creating a €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme between Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Life and Permanent (ILP) to strengthen Anglo's 2008 balance sheet. The defendants pleaded not guilty. On day 53, the State presented Mark Hunt, a chartered accountant, who argued that the deal had no commercial or economic substance and that the paired transactions—one between Anglo and ILP and a corresponding one with Irish Life Assurance (ILA)—were circular and could have continued indefinitely. Hunt explained that such transactions should have been netted off and omitted from the balance sheet, as they would cancel each other out. He described the scheme as an unusual series of transactions that, if left in the accounts, would have inflated Anglo's assets and liabilities by €7.2 billion.
Four former senior bankers from Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Life and Permanent (ILP) are on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where they have all pleaded not guilty to conspiring to mislead investors through financial transactions between March 1st and September 30th, 2008. The defendants are Peter Fitzpatrick, John Bowe, Willie McAteer, and Denis Casey. On day 47 of the trial, Bruce Maxwell, the chief actuary with Irish Life Assurance (ILA) in 2008, testified that he found the alleged €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme implausible. Maxwell stated that his initial reaction to the figure was disbelief, noting that Irish Life would not have had six billion euro to invest in Anglo. He described the arrangement, where Anglo placed money with ILP, which lent it to ILA, and ILA then placed it back with Anglo, as abnormal because ILA was effectively borrowing money. Maxwell told the court that the deposits were later explained as being secured by loans from Anglo to ILP, emphasizing that the funds were not Irish Life's own capital. The trial continues before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.
In a 2016 trial, former Anglo Irish Bank senior accountant Peter Fitzpatrick, aged 63, testified that balance sheet management, also called window dressing, was a recognised industry practice. He explained that a €7.2 billion circular transaction with Irish Life and Permanent in 2008 was cash‑neutral and intended to manage the bank's snapshot. Fitzpatrick said the transaction increased Anglo's loans and customer accounts by €7.2 billion, making it material. He described how such transactions were treated on the balance sheet and noted that netting could remove them from the books, losing the optical advantage. The defendants, including John Bowe, Willie McAteer, Denis Casey and Peter Fitzpatrick, pleaded not guilty to conspiracy charges for misleading investors through these transactions. The trial was held at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
The trial of four former senior bankers, including Denis Casey, is ongoing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Casey, along with Peter Fitzpatrick, John Bowe, and Willie McAteer, has pleaded not guilty to conspiring to mislead investors through financial transactions between March 1 and September 30, 2008. On day 43, witness Colin Golden, Anglo Irish Bank's Head of Group Finance in 2008, testified regarding a €7.2 billion transaction. He stated that during a November 2008 audit committee meeting, non-executive director Donal O'Connor asked if the transaction was "window dressing," to which then Head of Finance Willie McAteer responded it was "balance sheet management." Golden testified that the transaction was treated as a straight cash-for-cash deal, not collateralised, and was included grossly in the bank's balance sheet, inflating customer deposits and loans by €7.2 billion. He noted he was unaware until February 2009 that the sequence of deposits and loans had been incorrectly represented to auditors. Defence counsel Michael O'iggins SC, representing Casey, argued that the failure to consult the trader who executed the transaction constituted a "massive system's failure." Judge Nolan intervened to stop counsel from abusing the witness. The matter remains at the trial stage with no finalisation or sentence recorded.
In the 2016 trial of four former Anglo Irish Bank executives, Peter Fitzpatrick, aged 63, denied abandoning his duties during a 2008 scheme that allegedly misled investors with a €7.2 billion circular transaction. The case centred on a plan to inflate Anglo's balance sheet by moving funds between Anglo and Irish Life and Permanent (ILP). Fitzpatrick, along with John Bowe, Willie McAteer and Denis Casey, pleaded not guilty to conspiracy charges. During the trial, Fitzpatrick's lawyer, Brendan Grehan, questioned Kevin Kelly, Anglo's former head of financial reporting, about his role in accounting for the €7.2 billion. Kelly admitted that the transaction was recorded in a way that misrepresented its sequence, but argued that the risk was still present. The trial is ongoing before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.