Irish ‘revolutionaries’ forced me to rob bank, says Australian manager

THE manager of a bank on Australia’s Gold Coast on trial for robbing his own branch has said he was forced to do so by men with Irish accents who wanted money for a revolutionary cause.

John Thomas Forrester, 51, is standing trial at Southport District Court for robbery after taking $40,000 (€30,450) from the safe at the Bank of Queensland, Mudgeeraba, in April, 2009.

Police initially treated Mr Forrester as a victim but later charged him with stealing as a servant while working as the owner-manager of the branch.