€7.2bn conspiracy trial in legal talks

The trial of four senior bankers accused of conspiring to mislead investors has gone into legal argument until Thursday.

The four men, including former Irish Life and Permanent (ILP) CEO Denis Casey and Anglo Irish Bank’s former head of finance Willie McAteer, are accused of conspiring to mislead investors by using interbank loans to make Anglo appear €7.2bn more valuable than it was.

Mr McAteer, aged 65, of Greenrath, Tipperary Town, Co Tipperary, and Mr Casey, aged 56, of Raheny, Dublin, are on trial alongside Peter Fitzpatrick, aged 63, from Malahide, Dublin, who had been ILP’s former director of finance, and John Bowe, aged 52, of Glasnevin, Dublin, who had been Anglo’s head of capital markets.