Judge tells Cooper-Flynn jury to ignore evidence

The jury at the Beverly Cooper-Flynn libel action has been told to ignore a chunk of evidence given in the case.

The evidence, which was produced on Friday by counsel for RTE, referred to the allegation by a flooring contractor that he had given cash to the Mayo TD for investment in an offshore account.

Mr Justice Morris told the jury that the case relates to the allegation that while Ms Cooper-Flynn was working at National Irish Bank, she sold a personal investment portfolio to a Co Meath farmer entitling him to evade tax.

Therefore, all mention of anything other than personal portfolios should be put out of their minds, he said. The alternative was to abandon the case, and he did not want to do that, he added.