Court to get health reports on Redmond

Medical reports on the health of George Redmond are to presented to the Circuit Criminal Court tomorrow before the convicted former official is sentenced.

Redmond (79) faces a maximum of seven years in jail as well as two fines of €12,700 after he was found guilty last month on two counts of corruption. Judge Michael White remanded the former assistant Dublin city and county manager to Cloverhill Prison four weeks ago after the jury convicted him.

Redmond's lawyers are expected to argue that their client is too old and frail to withstand the hardship of a custodial sentence. Redmond kept fit by walking and playing tennis throughout his working career but in recent years he has suffered a number of health problems.

His lawyers may also raise the issue of hostile media coverage of their client. An appeal has not been ruled out.

During his stay in prison, Redmond has worked in the library of Cloverhill. Unlike most other inmates, he was given a cell to himself.

At last month's trial, the jury in the Circuit Criminal Court found that he received £10,000 as a bribe from garage owner Mr Brendan Fassnidge relating to the sale of a right of way from Dublin County Council at the Lucan bypass. He had denied the charges.

The jury accepted Mr Fassnidge's account of how he handed the money to Redmond in a brown envelope at his home in Castleknock in 1988. Three days later, he obtained the lucrative right of way linking his filling station with the by-pass.

Two other corruption charges against the former official are outstanding and the DPP has given no indication as to whether these will be proceeded with.

While not the first conviction of an official under bribery and corruption legislation, the verdict represented the most important conviction for these offences in the history of the State.

Redmond has been under investigation by the Criminal Assets Bureau since 1999, when he was arrested on his return from the Isle of Man and found to be carrying £300,000 in cash and cheques.

He subsequently made a settlement for £782,000 with the Revenue Commissioners and was convicted on tax offences, for which he was fined £7,500.

He also gave evidence to the tribunal, although this was interrupted by the criminal proceedings.