Potential juror in bankers trial suffered panic attack

A potential juror had a panic attack during jury selection in the trial of former Anglo Irish Bank executive officials in a “financial fraud” case. 

The empanelling in the trial was completed yesterday after Dublin Circuit Criminal Court ran out of potential jurors last Friday. Eight men and seven woman make up the enlarged 15 member jury.

Judge Martin Nolan told the jury panel that this was a “financial fraud” trial which is set to take 20 weeks.

Former Anglo executive William McAteer, aged 65, who has an address at Greenrath, Tipperary town, Co Tipperary, will stand trial alongside three other Anglo and Irish Life and Permanent officials.

They are: John Bowe, aged 52, from Glasnevin, Dublin, who had been head of capital markets at Anglo Irish Bank; Denis Casey, aged 56, from Raheny, Dublin, who was chief executive of Irish Life and Permanent until 2009, and Peter Fitzpatrick, aged 63, from Malahide, Dublin, who had been IL&P’s former director of finance.

They have all pleaded not guilty to conspiring together and with others to mislead investors through financial transactions to make the bank appear €7.2bn more valuable that it was between March 1 and September 30, 2008 in Dublin.