A man who worked for a former minister of state, Mr Michael Keating, yesterday told Middlesex Guildhall Crown Court he had "no idea" Mr Keating was involved in a multimillion pound VAT fraud.
Mr John Dawson (58), Mumbles Road, Blackpill, Swansea, is alleged to have transported computer chips from London suppliers to a company in Middlesex. It is claimed Mr Keating conspired with Mr Daniel O'Connell (46), Catherine Street, Limerick, to fleece British taxpayers in a 2 1/2 year computer chip fraud.
Mr O'Connell bought Intel Pentium II chips from London suppliers who were told they were going to Irish buyers and were therefore not liable for VAT when purchased, it is alleged.
In reality, the court was told, the chips were sold to Mr O'Connell's network of companies in England, where VAT should have been paid, and the Irish firms purporting to buy them were part of the swindle. Mr Keating was involved with one of the Irish companies, it is alleged.
Mr Dawson said he knew nothing about the alleged fraud or Mr Keating's involvement. Asked by his defence counsel Mr Christopher Hotten QC if he thought there was anything fishy about Mr Keating's business dealings, he said: "I was dealing with a man who was a former lord mayor of Dublin and a government minister. I never dreamt that he was doing anything like that."
Mr Dawson said Mr Keating had never mentioned the subject of VAT to him.
Mr Dawson and Mr O'Connell deny five counts of tax evasion and one count of cheating the public revenue. The trial continues.