Anglo case: Jury enters its third week of deliberations

The jury in the trial of four former bankers accused of conspiring to mislead investors as to the financial health of Anglo Irish Bank in 2008 resumes deliberations today, having entered its third week of deliberation.

Judge Martin Nolan delivered his charge to the jury on Tuesday, May 17th. The jury has since missed three possible days of deliberation because of the sickness of one juror and is now reduced to a jury of eleven members. A jury of not less than ten can reach a verdict in a criminal trial.

At the outset of Monday’s deliberations the jury foreman, having been asked by Judge Nolan, said the jury was “making progress”.

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Willie McAteer, former director of finance at Anglo Irish Bank.

The jury began hearing evidence in January in what is understood to be the longest criminal trial in the history of the State.

Peter Fitzpatrick (63) of Convent Lane, Portmarnock, Dublin; Denis Casey (56), from Raheny, Dublin; John Bowe (52) from Glasnevin, Dublin, and Willie McAteer (65) of Greenrath, Tipperary Town, Co Tipperary, have all pleaded not guilty to conspiring together and with others to mislead investors by setting up a €7.2 billion circular transaction scheme between March 1st and September 30th, 2008, to bolster Anglo's balance sheet.

Mr Fitzpatrick is a former director of finance at Irish Life & Permanent (ILP) and Mr Casey is ILP’s former chief executive. Mr Bowe is a former head of capital markets at Anglo, while Mr McAteer is Anglo’s former finance director.