Gardaí seized hundreds of thousands of files

The trial of three former Anglo Irish Bank executives has heard from the head of the Garda investigation into the bank who described seizing hundreds of thousands of documents during a search of their offices.

Superintendent Eamon Keogh of the Garda fraud squad is one of the final prosecution witnesses to be called. Another prosecution witness who gave evidence earlier in the trial is expected to be recalled later this week. The accused’s defence teams will then indicate whether they are going into evidence.

Supt Keogh, who was on secondment to the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement at the time, told Úna Ní Raifeartaigh, prosecuting, that the first search of Anglo’s offices took 11 days to complete.

He said gardaí searched the bank’s three premises at Stephen’s Court, Heritage House and Baggot St. The first search lasted from February 23, 2009, to March 6, 2009.

Former Anglo chairman Seán FitzPatrick and fellow ex-directors William McAteer and Pat Whelan, are accused of providing funding for the purchase of Anglo’s own shares in contravention of the 1963 Companies Act.

The three men have been charged at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court with 16 counts of providing unlawful financial assistance to 16 individuals in July 2008 to buy shares in the bank. The 16 individuals are six members of Seán Quinn’s family and the Maple Ten group of investors. Mr Whelan has also been charged with being privy to the fraudulent alteration of loan facility letters to seven individuals in October 2008.

The Maple Ten transaction arose because of the need to unwind businessman Seán Quinn’s 29.4% control of the bank which was destabilising the Anglo share price.

Mr FitzPatrick, aged 65, of Greystones, Co Wicklow; Mr McAteer, aged 63, of Rathgar, Dublin; and Mr Whelan, aged 51, of Malahide, Dublin, have pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Supt Keogh said that several hundred thousand paper documents were uncovered and seized during the searches. A similar number of digital documents were also downloaded from Anglo’s computers.

He told the jury that several thousand documents were also provided by the financial regulator and the Central Bank in connection with the investigation.

The case continues on Friday before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.