Redmond got cheque 'out of blue'

The former Dublin City and County Assistant Manager, Mr George Redmond, told gardaí he got a cheque for Ir£5,000 "out of the blue" from car salesman Brendan Fassnidge in 1988.

Mr Redmond told gardaí he suspected but had no proof that former TD Liam Lawlor had some connection with the cheque.

Detective Inspector Patrick Byrne told prosecuting counsel Mr Patrick J McCarthy SC (with Mr Patrick McGrath BL) that Mr Redmond came to Harcourt Square garda station voluntarily on April 1, 1999 and made a statement to him and Det Inspt, now Superintendent, William McDermott.

Mr Redmond said he assumed the payment related to the petrol station opened by Mr Fassnidge on the Lucan bypass which had been opposed by county council officials but later passed by Dublin County Council.

He told the gardaí he lodged it into an account he had with Ulster Bank in September or October 1988 and could identify it for them.

Det Inspt Byrne agreed with defence counsel Mr Brendan Grehan SC (with Mr Angus Buttanshaw BL) that Mr Redmond was interviewed about two weeks after an article written by journalist Mr Frank Connolly was published in the Sunday Business Post .

He said he was aware of the article but he had not read it then nor since and was not familiar with the contents.

Sergeant Philip James Burke told Mr McCarthy he found a Dublin County Council Yearbook and Diary for 1988 in Mr Redmond's home and found an entry for May 6 with the reference "Fassnidge 88A / 500".

Sgt Burke told Mr Grehan he didn't know what the entry referred to.

It was day-9 of the trial of Mr Redmond (aged 79), who has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two charges alleging he got £10,000 from Mr Fassnidge relating to the sale of a right-of-way from Dublin County Council at the Lucan bypass.

Mr Redmond denies that while an agent or servant of the Council of the County of Dublin, a public body, he corruptly received a gift of money from Mr Fassnidge on a date between June 1, 1987 and May 31, 1988 as an inducement or reward for doing or forbearing to do anything in respect of the sale of a right of way at Palmerstown, by the Council of the County of Dublin.

He also denies that as an agent he corruptly accepted for himself a gift of money as an inducement or reward for showing favour to another, namely Mr Fassnidge, in relation to the said principal's affairs, namely the sale of the right of way.

The hearing continues before Judge Michael White.