Garda was 'on the trail' of Northern Bank robbery, court hears

A Garda Chief Superintendent told the Special Criminal Court in Dublin today that he believed he was "on the trail" of money stolen in the Northern Bank robbery in Belfast in 2004 when he launched an investigation into a Cork man accused of IRA membership.

Detective Chief Superintendent Tony Quilter said that he believed on the basis of confidential information that Tom Hanlon was an IRA member in February, 2005.

The court heard that gardaí found a Sinn Féin chequebook, photocopies of "joke" Northern Bank notes with images of Gerry Adams and Martin Mc Guinness, two cheques for the so-called Colombia Three campaign and other documents in Hanlon's bedroom.

Prosecuting counsel Mr Tom O' Connell SC told the court that gardaí, who carried out searches in the Cork area in February, 2005, found Stg£2.4m in seven bags in a locked cupboard in a house owned by financial adviser Mr Ted Cunningham.

He said that DNA samples taken from Hanlon matched DNA taken from the zip handle of one of the money bags.

Hanlon (aged 43), of Pembroke Row, Passage West, Co Cork has pleaded not guilty to membership of the IRA on February 16, 2005.

Mr O' Connell said that 15,000 of the sterling notes recovered by the gardaí had handwriting or other marks on them. He said the court would hear evidence from Ms Sonia Moore from the Northern Bank cash centre in Belfast that her handwriting was on 287 of the notes.

Counsel said that the court would also hear evidence from one of the investigators of the Northern Bank robbery when Stg£26m was stolen in December 2004.

He said the court would hear evidence from Mr Dan Guerin who ran a garage at an industrial estate at Ballincollig, Co Cork where Mr Ted Cunningham operated his business.

In 2005 Mr Cunningham gave Mr Guerin £200,000 in sterling as a return for an investment Mr Guerin had made in 2002. Mr Guerin met Hanlon in Mr Cunningham's company.

Mr Guerin asked Mr Cunningham to change the money into euros and he was told that Tom Hanlon would arrange that.

Hanlon arranged for the transfer of Stg£75,000 from the boot of Mr Guerin's car to his own car and Hanlon told him he would have the money changed a week later.

Shortly before February 16, Mr Guerin took the remainder of the money to a garden shed at Rathmore, Co Kerry and gardaí later recovered Stg£90,000.

Mr O'Connell said that Ms Philomena Aherne, an aunt of Hanlon, was approached by the accused who told her that he was going through a separation with his wife and didn't want her to know about money he had.

Ms Aherne, who has a hairdresser's business, agreed to convert cash into bank drafts and Hanlon handed her in total €58,500 on several occasions which she arranged to change into bank drafts.

Hanlon also approached a local builder who gave him a cheque in return for €20,000 on February 16.

The trial is continuing.