Courts / Dublin / Report

Jailed Anglo executives have convictions overturned on appeal

Date
2016-03-15
Stage
Appeal
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

The Court of Appeal quashed the convictions of former Anglo Irish Bank executives Tiarnan O'Mahoney (56) and Bernard Daly (67) for furnishing false information to the Revenue Commissioners and conspiring to delete bank accounts. The convictions, obtained by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, had led to O'Mahoney's three‑year sentence and Daly's two‑year sentence in July 2015. The appeal was successful on several grounds: the proceedings were not commenced within the ten‑year limitation period; the charges were reformulated after the defendants were formally charged, creating a procedural error; the defendants were charged as principals rather than officers; and a substantial number of documents were wrongly admitted as evidence. The court also held that the conspiracy charge against Daly should have been withdrawn from the jury, and that the evidence against him was thin and tenuous. O'Mahoney's appeal was based on multiple complaints about the trial, and the court will consider whether a retrial is necessary.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Jailed Anglo executives have convictions overturned on appeal. Procedural stage: appeal

When:

Why: Giving judgement, Mr Justice George Birmingham said they "should not have had to stand trial" on the charge of furnishing false information because the proceedings were not commenced within the ten year time limit. CNI source report

Case subjects

Bernard Daly

Appellant

Outcome: Having been found guilty by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Patrick McCartan jailed O'Mahoney for three years and Daly for two years on July 31, 2015.

Tiarnan O'Mahoney

Appellant

Outcome: Having been found guilty by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Patrick McCartan jailed O'Mahoney for three years and Daly for two years on July 31, 2015.

Places mentioned

Court Venue
  • Court of Appeal
  • Dublin
  • Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
  • High Court
Residence

Topics

Stage Appeal

Related court reports

Read the original CNI report

Correction or retraction request

If a fact, identity, locality or legal outcome needs review, email the newsroom with this report's details prefilled.

Email a correction request