Sean Fitzpatrick’s trial has collapsed after the trial judge decided he should be acquitted on all charges against him.
The former CEO of Anglo Irish Bank had denied making misleading, false or deceptive statements to auditors about personal loans.
Sean Fitzpatrick was accused of misleading Anglo Irish Bank’s auditors and of furnishing them with false information about multi-million euro loans he allegedly received from the bank between November 2002 and the end of September 2007.
In today’s ruling, Judge Aylmer said there was a real concern he was being denied his constitutional right to a fair trial.
He said there were “fundamental errors” in the investigation, particularly in relation to the taking of witness statements from Ernst & Young auditors Kieran Kelly and Vincent Bergin.
He also described the shredding of documents by the lead investigator Kevin O’Connell as a “worrying feature”.
Outside court afterwards, Mr. Fitzpatrick spoke of his relief that it was over.
Today was Day 126 of his trial but Mr. Fitzpatrick is expected to return to court for a final time tomorrow to hear the jurors being told of today’s ruling.
