Insider trading charge denied

A businessman will go on trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on January 14th charged with insider dealing in the shares of a publicly-quoted company. Mr Philip Byrne (44), of Trafalgar Terrace, Monkstown, described as a director of Aviette Ltd, Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin 2, is charged under the Companies Act 1990. Mr Byrne has denied that on a date between April 28th and May 8th, 1997 he sold 260,000 shares in Dunloe House plc while having information that would have been likely materially to affect the price of the shares.