State to apply for extra jurors to hear Anglo Irish Bank case

The State is to apply to have extra jurors assigned to the pending trial of former Anglo Irish Bank chairman Seán FitzPatrick and two other former executives, a pre-trial hearing was told yesterday.

Diana Stuart, counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions, told Judge Mary Ellen Ring that there will be an application under a new law that came into effect in July. The Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2013 allows for the appointment of up to 15 jurors, as against the standard 12, for trials expected to last for more than two months.

Mr FitzPatrick, of Whitshed Road, Greystones, Co Wicklow, along with the former Anglo chief financial officer, Pat Whelan, of Coast Road, Malahide, Co Dublin, and Anglo's former head of compliance, Willie McAteer, of Auburn Villas, Rathgar, Dublin 6, have been charged with providing unlawful financial assistance in July 2008 to 16 individuals – 10 long-standing customers of the bank and six members of Seán Quinn's family – to buy shares in the bank, using the bank's own funds.

All three men were in court yesterday, where they sat separately while awaiting mention of their case. The court heard the jury application will be made when the trial is due to begin, in January of next year.

Adjourned
Judge Ring adjourned the hearing to December 6th next, when issues to do with disclosure are to be raised again before Judge Martin Nolan. The court was told by John McGuinness SC, for Mr FitzPatrick, that very important witness statements were also being taken over the next three weeks. The men were remanded on continuing bail.