'I spent a lot of time in the gym'

Being in prison is not like it is portrayed in US TV dramas, where you are constantly in fear of being assaulted by your fellow inmates, according to Mr Tony Taylor.

"The food is not bad. I spent a lot of time in the gym," he says. "The worst aspect of it is when you don't have a date on your door, when you don't know when you will be getting out."

This was the position Taylor found himself in for most of the time during which he was incarcerated. He spent two years and two months on remand, not knowing what length of sentence he would get if he were found guilty.

On the day he pleaded guilty in court, he says, his focus was on the length of time he might still have to serve, after his time on remand and good behaviour had been taken into account. In early August 1996, Taylor and his wife Shirley sold their cars and, as far as their colleagues in the Clyde Road, Dublin offices of Taylor Asset Management (TAM) were concerned, went missing.

Taylor now says the cars were sold for cash flow reasons. Fidelity, the international fund manager, had closed its sole agent deal with TAM and an expected payment had not come through, Taylor says. He was stuck for cash.

He says he and his wife absconded because they had been subjected to threats by a client, and feared for their safety. Soon after he disappeared, a newspaper wrongly linked him to funds belonging to the criminal John Gilligan behind the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin.

"I know disappearing was a mistake and created a negative impression, but I feared for my safety and that was my focus."

For three years, the Taylors' whereabouts were a mystery. The couple's house on Anglesea Road, Ballsbridge, was sold by NIB, which had a mortgage on it. The house was sold for £580,000 and after the bank took £120,000 the rest was lodged in court. The liquidator to TAM, Mr Paddy McSwiney, got a court order preventing disbursement of the funds.

Mr Taylor was arrested in August 1999, in Eastbourne, England, where he and his wife had been living. On January 28th, 2000, he was returned to Ireland.

He was refused bail. He began preparing for his court case, which was expected to last for weeks. Right up to September 2001, according to Taylor, he intended to challenge the case against him. Then his resolve collapsed.

During his time in prison he was held in Clover Hill, Arbour Hill, and the Mountjoy Training Unit. He was released on May 3rd, 2003. "I'm trying to put my life back together. Some people have stood by me and are lending support." He is trying a number of business ideas not involving investment advice.