Courts / Wicklow / Report

Auditor tells Sean FitzPatrick trial he was not aware of refinancing documents

Date
2017-02-22

Stage
Trial

Primary locality
Wicklow

County
Wicklow

Summary

During the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, former Anglo Irish Bank auditor Vincent Bergin testified that he was unaware of documents indicating that Sean FitzPatrick's multi‑million‑euro loans were temporarily refinanced. The trial, which has been ongoing for 85 days, focuses on FitzPatrick's alleged failure to disclose the extent of these loans to auditors between 2002 and 2007. Prosecutor Dominic McGinn presented evidence of deposit accounts, loan facilities and letters from Irish Nationwide Building Society offering short‑term loans to FitzPatrick and his wife, amounting to over €62 million in 2007. Bergin, who audited Anglo from 2005 to 2008, stated that he would have raised concerns and possibly resigned if he had known of the refinancing. FitzPatrick, aged 68, denies all 27 charges, including 22 for misleading auditors and five for furnishing false information. The case remains before Judge John Aylmer and a jury.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Auditor tells Sean FitzPatrick trial he was not aware of refinancing documents. Charges or matters: 27 offences under the 1990 Companies Act. Procedural stage: trial

When:

September 2007 Other
2002 to 2007 Other
2005 to 2008 Other
2006 and 2007 Other
2017-02-22 Publication

Why: He said from the documentation it appeared to him that the accused was seeking short term loan facilities in order to refinance borrowings from Anglo. CNI source report