A FATHER and son went on trial yesterday charged with laundering more than £3 million (€3.32 million) which the State alleges was stolen in the Northern Bank raid in Belfast in 2004 when an armed gang made off with some £26.5 million in cash.
Timothy Cunningham (60) also known as Ted Cunningham of Woodbine Lodge, Farran, Co Cork, denied 20 charges when he was arraigned before the jury panel at Cork Circuit Criminal Court yesterday. Mr Cunningham’s son, Timothy John Cunningham (33) formerly of Church View, Farran, but now living in Bandon in west Cork, denied a total of four charges of money laundering when he was arraigned.
Prosecution counsel Tom O’Connell SC gave a brief outline of the case to the jury panel so that anyone familiar with either of the accused or a number of witnesses in the case could disqualify themselves from serving on the jury.
“It is now a fairly notorious fact that on December 20th, 2004, £26.5 million was stolen during a robbery at the Northern Bank at Donegall Square West in Belfast and the accused are charged, in summary, with laundering part of that money,” said Mr O’Connell.
Mr Cunningham snr is charged with 10 money laundering offences in which the money at the centre of the charges is described as being the proceeds of a robbery at the Northern Bank and 10 alternate charges in which the money is described as being the proceeds of a theft at the bank.
Mr Cunningham jnr is similarly charged with two money laundering offences in which the money is described as being the proceeds of a robbery at the Northern Bank and two alternate charges in which the money is described as being the proceeds of a theft at the bank.
Both men are charged with possessing £3,010,380 at Farran, Co Cork, between December 20th, 2004 and February 16th, 2005, knowing or believing it to be the proceeds of robbery/theft at the Northern Bank Cash Centre, Donegall Square West, Belfast.
They both also face charges of transferring about £200,000 to one Dan Joe Guerin at Farran on January 21st, 2005, knowing or believing it to be the proceeds of robbery/theft at the Northern Bank Cash Centre.
Mr Cunningham snr faces another 16 charges including that on February 7th, 2005, he transferred a cheque to the value of €56,000 to his son, Timothy Cunningham, knowing or believing the cheque to represent the proceeds of the Northern Bank robbery/theft.
He is also charged that at Ballincollig, Co Cork, on February 7th, 2005, he transferred £175,360 knowing or believing it to be the proceeds of the Northern Bank robbery/theft, to a John Sheehan, thereby obtaining three cheques totalling €200,000.
He is further charged that on February 7th, 2005, he lodged two cheques to the value of €144,000 to his account at the Agricultural Credit Corporation in Co Wicklow, knowing or believing them to represent the proceeds of the Northern Bank robbery/theft.
He is also charged that on February 2nd and February 7th, 2005 at Tullamore, Co Offaly, he transferred sums of £100,060 and £100,040 to a John Douglas, knowing or believing the money to be the proceeds of the Northern Bank robbery/theft.
Mr O’Connell told the jury Mr Cunningham snr operated a money-lending business known as Chesterton Finance and that anyone who knew either him or his son or had any dealings with them that could affect their impartiality should disqualify themselves.
Mr O’Connell said it had been suggested that the case could take up to 12 weeks even though it was his own view that the case could be concluded in half that time. Judge Con Murphy adjourned the case until next Tuesday.