Anglo jury suspends deliberations overnight

Judge Martin Nolan grants jury request for transcripts of two witnesses

Pat Whelan, William McAteer and Seán FitzPatrick. Photograph: PA
Pat Whelan, William McAteer and Seán FitzPatrick. Photograph: PA

The jury in the trial of three former Anglo Irish Bank directors will resume deliberations in the morning.

The jury was told to suspend deliberations at 5pm today .

The judge in the trial has agreed to a jury request for the transcripts of two witnesses in the case.

The jury of seven women and five men asked for the transcripts of former head of compliance Fiachre O’Neill and former chief financial officer Matt Moran yesterday evening.

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The men spent more than three days in the witness box between them and were the only two witnesses in the case to have been given immunity by the State.

Judge Martin Nolan told the jury this morning they could have the transcripts and wished them good luck in reading them.

The jury has ended its second full day of deliberations in the trial following 43 days of evidence and closing speeches.

Seán FitzPatrick (65) of Greystones, Co Wicklow; William McAteer (63) of Rathgar, Dublin; and Pat Whelan (51) of Malahide, Dublin, are charged with 10 counts of providing unlawful financial assistance to 10 individuals in July 2008 to buy shares in the bank, contrary to Section 60 of the Companies Act.

Mr McAteer and Mr Whelan are also charged with six counts of providing unlawful financial assistance to six members of the Quinn family.

All three men have pleaded not guilty.

Fiona Gartland

Fiona Gartland

Fiona Gartland is a crime writer and former Irish Times journalist