Legal advice issue 'irrelevant', Anglo trial told
The judge has told the jury in the trial of three former Anglo Irish Bank executives that the issue of whether legal advice was obtained in relation to loans advanced to individuals to buy Anglo shares is "irrelevant" to their guilt or innocence.
Pat Whelan, Willie McAteer and Sean FitzPatrick deny providing unlawful financial assistance to the so-called 'Maple Ten' and members of Sean Quinn's family to buy a stake in Anglo in July 2008.
Judge Martin Nolan told the jury this afternoon that the issue of whether legal advice was obtained
by Anglo at the time the loans were advanced has been deemed irrelevant to the issue it has to decide.
He said they should not speculate as to what legal advice might have been given.
He added that it was not relevant to the guilt or innocence of the three accused..
Judge Nolan said this also relates to past references to legal advice the jury has heard in the trial.
He has ruled there should be no further questioning of any witnesses on this issue.
The court was also today hearing evidence from former Anglo Chairman Donal O'Connor.
