Ted Cunningham: Denies money-laundering charges

THE jury in the trial of Ted Cunningham on money-laundering charges were sent home at 6.30pm yesterday as they had not reached a verdict. They will resume their deliberations today.

Judge Cornelius Murphy told the seven men and five women of the jury yesterday afternoon: “You, members of the jury, in assessing the evidence should have regard for what witnesses said and the demeanour of witnesses.

“Apply your own robust commonsense in deciding the issue. There are 10 separate counts. You must consider each count separately. We require from you 10 separate and distinct verdicts.

“You may have considerable sympathy for various people in this case, but you have to put any such sympathy out of your mind. Approach this issue as dispassionately as you can. This is the people of Ireland against Mr Cunningham, not the Northern Bank against Mr Cunningham, or the gardaí against Mr Cunningham.

“I require from you a unanimous verdict on each of the 10 charges.”

In relation to circumstantial evidence, the judge explained that this could consist of oral, documentary and other evidence, and that each piece of evidence was not to be considered in isolation but in tandem with other evidence.

The jury was sent out at 3.20pm yesterday and returned at 5.10pm with a question on the legal definition of money-laundering.

The judge explained: “In order to convict Mr Cunningham you have to be convinced beyond reasonable doubt he had possession or used money from the Northern Bank robbery and that he knew, believed or was reckless that it was in fact stolen, and that you have to be convinced, again beyond reasonable doubt, that in fact the money was stolen from the Northern Bank.”

At 6.15pm the jury had two questions, one in relation to the markings on a particular bank note, the other a request for a copy of the defendant’s entire testimony.

The judge explained that the law did not allow for that, but that if they had questions on particular parts of the testimony he would try to answer them.

They were directed to return to continue their deliberations today at 10.30am as the trial goes in to its 45th day at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Ted Cunningham, aged 60, of Woodbine Lodge, Farran, Co Cork, denies 10 charges of money-laundering arising out of the investigation of the robbery of £26.5million from the Northern Bank in Belfast on December 20, 2004.