Lawyers for Anglo three want trial judge named
LAWYERS for Seán FitzPatrick and two former Anglo bosses yesterday called for a trial judge to be swiftly appointed to deal with the large amount of evidence and issues in the case.
The barristers made their request at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court yesterday in the latest pretrial hearing in the State’s case against Mr FitzPatrick, William McAteer and Pat Whelan.
Lawyers for the defence and prosecution all stressed that they were anxious for the trial to proceed as planned in January next year.
Brendan Grehan SC, defending Mr Whelan, said: ‘I don’t think this case can be progressed to trial without a judge taking charge of it now.’
He said applications to the court were going to arise ‘apart from issues of relevance and privilege’ in relation to disclosure of evidence in the case.
Mr Grehan said it would also be appropriate now to appoint someone to take charge of the trial who can ‘give directions not just to the parties but also to the media’.
He said: ‘In the six months leading up to the trial it is vital an air of calm be restored to the public from which a jury will be drawn.’
Michael O’Higgins SC, defending Mr FitzPatrick, asked for a hearing date in September to deal with any issues that may arise between the defence and the State in relation to disclosure of evidence in the case. Úna Ní Raifeartaigh SC, prosecuting, told the court the DPP had sought to ‘prioritise certain things’, which she said has been done now.
She also said State was now moving to the issue of obtaining material from ‘a large number of third parties’.
Judge Martin Nolan adjourned the case for mention on July 30 to allow him time to ascertain which judge may be free in September to deal with a further hearing.
Mr FitzPatrick, 65, of Greystones, Co. Wicklow; Mr McAteer, 62, of Rathgar, south Dublin; and Mr Whelan, 51, of Malahide, north Co. Dublin, have been charged with 16 counts of allegedly providing unlawful financial assistance to individuals to buy shares in Anglo Irish Bank.