Two former senior executives of Anglo Irish Bank appeared in court this afternoon charged in connection with alleged financial irregularities at the bank.
The bank's former finance director Willie McAteer and executive Pat Whelan are the first people to be charged in the three-and-a-half-year-old Anglo Irish Bank investigation.
Mr McAteer (61), with an address at Auburn Villas, Rathgar, Dublin was charged with 16 counts of giving unlawful financial assistance to buy shares in Anglo Irish Bank in 2008.
It is claimed the alleged unlawful financial help to buy shares was given between July 10th and July 17th, 2008 to 15 people - which include the so-called “Maple Ten” group of Irish Investors and several members of Sean Quinn’s family - and from July 17th until July 30th, of the same year, to Patricia Quinn, the wife of now bankrupt businessman.
The court granted Mr McAteer bail on his own bond of €1,000 and an independent surety of €10,000 in cash or equivalent. The surety was put up by his wife. Mr McAteer also surrendered his passport for the duration of the court proceedings.
Judge Cormac Dunne also ordered him to continue to reside at his home in Auburn Villas, Rathgar and to notify gardaí of a change in address at least 48 hours in advance.
Sgt Catherina Gunne told the court she arrested Mr McAteer at 9.50am this morning on the N7 at Rathcoole. He was taken to the Bridewell Garda station and charged.
He made no reply after each charge was put to him, she said. The case will return to court on October 8th.
Mr McAteer left the Criminal Courts complex at about 2.30 with his family.
Mr Whelan was charged later with the same 16 offences.
Mr Whelan (50), of "Rachra", Coast Road, Malahide, Co Dublin, was arrested today at 12.25pm at his home and brought to the Bridewell Garda station.
Det Sgt Michael Prendergast of the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement told the court that Mr Whelan gave no response when the charges were read to him.
Mr Whelan, the former managing director of Anglo's Irish lending business and a one-time director of the bank, was released on bail on a bond of €1,000 and independent surety of €10,000.
The 50-year-old stepped down from the board a month after the bank was nationalised in January 2009 but continued in his role as managing director of lending in Ireland. Mr Whelan stayed with the bank for another 10
months before pursuing other business interests.
He has agreed to sign on every Sunday at his local Garda station in Malahide and to give 48 hours notice to travel outside the State, other than the UK where he has business interests.
He must also give 48 hours notice of any change of address.
Michael Staines, solicitor for Mr Whelan, asked Judge Dunne could his client sign on every Sunday as he was "over and back" to London during the week.
Mr Whelan will appear before the court again on October 8th. There was no objection to Mr Whelan's bail.
The Quinn family members who allegedly received unlawful financial assistance were named as Seán Quinn jnr; Collette Marie Quinn; Aoife Quinn; Breda Quinn; Ciara Quinn and Patricia Quinn.
The other Anglo Irish Bank customers are Patrick McKillen; Seamus Ross; Brian O'Farrell; John McCabe; Gerard Maguire; Patrick Kearney; Gerard Gannon; Gerard Conlon; Joseph O'Reilly and Sean Reilly.
The charges were made under section 60 (15) of the Companies Act 1963. Penalties under the Act can include up to five years imprisonment or a fine of €3174.25 per offence.
