‘I tried to tell the truth’

The man accused of money-laundering denied telling gardaí he was ever in fear of Phil Flynn, the former chairman of Bank of Scotland (Ireland).

Cunningham said he went along with what was suggested to him by gardaí, in particular, Detective Chief Superintendent Tony Quilter, Detective Sergeant Gerry McCarthy and Detective Garda Jim Fitzgerald. “I tried on the first day to tell the truth but it was like shouting up a down-pipe,” Cunningham said.

He said after his release from two days in custody in February 2005 Det Chief Sup Quilter wanted him to meet with Phil Flynn, former chairman of Bank of Scotland (Ireland) and find out his reaction to what had happened. He met Phil Flynn in the midlands the day after his release and later met Det Chief Supt Quilter at Midleton Park Hotel. “I just said Phil was concerned for me.”