A tale of a hero downed by greedy bankers

To anyone who had casually wandered into Court 6 it seemed, at face value, the cautionary tale of a modern-day folk hero done down by greedy bankers.

Yesterday’s pleadings on behalf of Seán Quinn as he faced possible jail for contempt, portrayed the bankrupt 66-year-old as a man whose mission in life had been to bring jobs and wealth to one of the country’s most deprived areas.

Cast in the role of arch-villain was the corporate entity formerly known as Anglo Irish Bank which, under its new, whiter than white reincarnation, IBRC, has accused the former richest man of Ireland of being involved in a fraudulent scheme to put assets worth around €500m beyond the control of the Irish taxpayer.