A Belfast Crown Court jury will retire today in the trial of Cork-born financier Mr George Finbarr Ross, who is accused of false accounting and swindling investors in his Gibraltar-based company, which collapsed in 1984 owing millions.

The trial judge, Mr Justice Gillen, while detailing the law governing the 39 remaining charges denied by Mr Ross (54), also warned the jury yesterday that questions of morality had nothing to do with the case.

He said: "This is not a case about morals, but a criminal case where you have to be satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt - this is not a court of morals, but a court of criminal law."

The prosecution claims Mr Ross, who was extradited from the US to stand trial, had duped investors, at a meeting in the Stormont Hotel in Belfast, in December 1983 into making deposits with his offshore bank knowing that the company was insolvent and later, by false accounting, issued statements of account to current investors to "ward off the evil day" when they would be looking for their money back.

However, the defence claims Mr Ross had been kept in the dark over the financial problems surrounding IIL, as he was concentrating all his efforts in managing investments in the US for the company.

Mr Ross himself claimed that he was unaware investors would be attending the December 1983 hotel meeting, which he understood was solely a "Christmas do" for brokers to thank them for their work on behalf of the company. In evidence, he said he believed the company was solvent at that time.

He also said that, while he knew statements of account were sent to investors twice a year, he had nothing to do with their being issued.