Trial of former Anglo officials adjourned due to lack of jurors

The trial of three former Anglo Irish Bank officials has been adjourned until next week after the court ran out of panel members.

Aoife Maguire (60), Rothe Abbey, South Circular Road, Kilmainham, Dublin, Bernard Daly (65), Collins Avenue West, Whitehall, Dublin, and Tiarnan O’Mahoney (54) Glen Pines, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow, are charged with offences related to tax and company law in 2003 and 2004. They have denied the charges.

The trial was due to begin on Wednesday, but only seven jurors could be sworn in from the panel of members of the public called for jury service.

More than 60 potential jurors gave Judge Patricia Ryan the various reasons why they could not serve and were excused.

Before individual jurors were called, the jury panel was told the case is expected to run for six weeks.

They were advised they could not serve if they had any strong feelings about Anglo Irish Bank.

They were also told they should not serve if they owned shares, or had any connection with the former bank, or if they had a connection to revenue, Ernst and Young or the auditing sector.

Judge Ryan told the seven jurors that 12 were needed for the case and that there would be a new panel available next Monday.

She asked them to return to court at 10am as she needed them to be present while she empanelled the remaining jurors.

The trial is expected to begin before Judge Patrick McCartan on Monday afternoon.