Ireland Crime

Barristers withdrew on day two of the appeal after Lynn questioned their professional integrity; the court reserved judgment after refusing an adjournment to instruct new counsel, noting Lynn had already had eight previous solicitors.

First day of Michael Lynn's Court of Appeal hearing against his theft conviction. His counsel Barra McGrory SC cited R v Preddy (1996) to argue that electronically transferred funds are a new chose in action, not the bank's property. State counsel Karl Finnegan SC argued there was no valid consent due to fraudulent documentation. The appeal continues to the following day.

Reports that the DPP's asset confiscation application under the Criminal Justice Act 1994 was adjourned to March by Judge Martin Nolan, pending Lynn's appeal against sentence. Details the assets under investigation: €3m property in Portugal, €2.8m in three bank accounts, and a house in Brittas Bay owned by a company linked to Lynn.

Court of Appeal grants legal aid for Lynn's appeal against conviction and sentence, on the same terms as the trial court; the State may bring the matter back if his means change. Lynn intends to appeal both conviction and sentence, and a grounds of sentence appeal concerns how the sentence was constructed and the release date. Matter cannot be listed to fix dates until submissions are lodged.

Article reports that Lynn was granted legal aid for his appeal against conviction and sentence, and sets out the trial history and the sentence appeal grounds. No earlier matching case in the list.

Article covers a High Court judicial review by the convicted man over refusal to pay trial costs. It adds that he is serving a sentence and that the case returns to court next month.

Adds the DPP's formal asset-investigation notice, the three bank accounts and house it says are linked to Lynn, a separate inquiry into €3 million in Portuguese-confiscated assets, and the adjournment to 8 July.

Covers a confiscation application in the Lynn case: Portuguese property, bank accounts and a Wicklow house are under examination, and the matter was adjourned to 8 July. The article also gives background on Lynn's February sentence and convictions.

Adds the sentence details (5½ years, running from the jury verdict on 20 December), the court's reasoning, and the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau investigation: a search operation, a freezing order on over €2 million, and planned proceeds-of-crime applications. Also notes the planned appeal.

Reports the sentence handed down on 19 February 2024: 13 years less seven and a half years' credit for time served in Brazil, backdated to 20 December 2023. Adds that the judge ruled the total loss to the banks was probably about €13 million, that 11 counts were left unresolved, and that a confiscation application over Lynn's assets will be made, with a mention set for 16 April.

Reports the sentencing of Michael Lynn after a jury convicted him on 10 of 21 theft counts; the judge set the sentence, a confiscation application may follow, and an appeal has been lodged.

Article body is an empty page template; only the headline reports the jail sentence for the theft of over €18 million from financial institutions.

Sentencing, originally pending after the December conviction, has been adjourned to 19 February 2024 so that a psychological report can be prepared. The article adds the adjournment, the remand date and the defence's reason.

Feature on the full story of the trial. Reports the conviction on 10 of 21 counts, the jury's failure to agree on 11, and sentencing set for January 15th. Says Lynn was accused of theft of about €27 million from seven institutions, which differs from the €18m and six institutions in the conviction.

Reports the guilty verdict against Michael Lynn for stealing nearly €18 million from financial institutions. The article text is empty, so the only detail comes from the headline.

Reports the jury verdict on 20 December 2023 in Lynn's second trial: guilty on 10 of 21 counts, with a sentence date set for 15 January 2024 and Lynn remanded in custody.

Reports the jury verdicts in the second trial: guilty on 10 of 21 theft counts, no agreement on 11 counts, remand in custody and sentencing set for 15 January.

Adds the jury verdict on 10 of 21 counts, the jury deliberation time, the remand in custody to 15 January, and Lynn's four and a half years in a Brazilian prison before extradition. The article names seven financial institutions, while the existing case says six.

Covers the jury charge and the start of deliberations in the trial, which is on day 33. The alleged thefts took place between October 2006 and April 2007.

Reports the ongoing trial: the €27 million figure, seven institutions, the 21 counts and the 2006 to 2007 period. Adds evidence from solicitor Fiona McAleenan that she was never a partner, that she signed undertakings prepared by others, and that she denied sending a February 2007 email.

Adds trial evidence that Lynn was approved for two huge loans within a week. The article text is empty, so only the headline is available.

Reports bank witnesses from Bank of Ireland, Ulster Bank and Irish Nationwide Building Society giving evidence on 8 November 2023, with the defence suggesting negligence in lending. Reports the trial continues before Judge Nolan and the jury.

Trial report covering evidence from former Bank of Ireland manager Jim Madden, Ulster Bank legal division witness John Morgan and Irish Nationwide Building Society internal auditor Killian McMahon. Gives the accused's age and address, the 21 theft counts and their date range, and the prosecution case on multiple mortgages.

Reports evidence from the bank's former relationship manager Stephen McCarthy on the €3.65m loan application, and that the trial continues before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.

Trial report covering evidence from former Irish Nationwide Building Society manager Mark Mulcahy and former National Irish Bank assistant manager Orla Deignan, including the cross-examination over the Glenlion House loan. The trial continues before a jury.

Reports on the ongoing trial: the defence cross-examined a former National Irish Bank manager, accountant evidence described documents as forgeries, and a solicitor gave evidence about a delayed property sale.

Reports the ongoing trial, including the defence's claim about a bank document, cross-examination of a former National Irish Bank manager, evidence that certain accounts and a statement of affairs were forgeries, and the names of the seven financial institutions. No existing case matches this trial.

Headline only: Michael Lynn in court accused of €27 million theft. The article body is empty, so no date, location, court or trial detail is given.

Reports the opening of Lynn's trial. He pleaded not guilty to 21 counts, and the prosecution alleges over €27 million was stolen, a higher figure than the about €18 million in the existing case record.

Reports the opening of the jury trial, which is expected to last eight weeks. Gives the amount as more than €27m across 21 charges and seven institutions, which differs from the €17.9m figure in the existing case. Names the accused's home as Millbrook Court, Red Cross, Co Wicklow, and states that he is 53.

Reports that the DPP is seeking a retrial after the jury in the first trial was discharged following 12 hours of deliberation without a verdict. The retrial was set for 16 October 2023 with an anticipated 10-week trial. The prosecution wished to make certain enquiries arising from assertions Mr Lynn made during the first trial.

Reports the discharge of the jury after 12+ hours of deliberation, Lynn's nine-day testimony including claims of 'custom and practice' and 'secret deals' with bankers, and the adjournment to 20 June for DPP directions.

Reports the first trial in which the jury was discharged after 12+ hours without reaching a verdict; Lynn remanded on continuing bail until 20 June for DPP directions.

Jury discharged after failing to reach a majority verdict in a three-and-a-half month trial; case adjourned to 20 June 2022 for DPP directions; Lynn remanded on continuing bail.

Reports that the jury in Michael Lynn's theft trial failed to reach a verdict after more than 12 hours of deliberation; prosecution asked for the case to be mentioned on 20 June for DPP instructions; Lynn remanded on continuing bail.

Reports jury deliberation status: jurors sent home 31 May 2022 with majority verdict (10 of 12) to be accepted; Lynn testified banks were aware of the multiple mortgages and the money funded overseas property developments; prosecution called his account 'a pack of lies'; Judge Martin Nolan framed the issue as fraud by Lynn versus a charade between Lynn and the banks.

Day 7 of Mr Lynn's testimony: details of his failure to inform gardaí of his move to Brazil in 2011, his denial of forging accountant signatures on statements of affairs, his claim that a statement submitted to Irish Nationwide omitted €13 million in debt, and his assertion that the missing Kendar server contains emails proving secret deals with senior bankers.

Reports Michael Lynn beginning to give evidence in his defence at his theft trial, describing his childhood on a dairy farm in Crossmolina, Co Mayo, his solicitor's practice built in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and his property development company Kendar Holdings Limited.

Reports on Fiona McAleenan's sixth day of testimony at the trial, her denial of involvement in conveyancing, the Law Society's 2008 investigation findings, and Michael Lynn's striking off as a solicitor in May 2008.

Reports testimony from Fiona McAleenan, a former solicitor at Michael Lynn & Co, describing how she identified the duplicate mortgage situation in August 2007 and resigned on 10 September 2007. Also references Elizabeth Doyle's earlier testimony about signing Ms McAleenan's and Mr Lynn's signatures on documents at Mr Lynn's instruction.

Fiona McAleenan testified she never acted for Mr Lynn and her signature was forged; Elizabeth Doyle admitted signing both their signatures on documents at Mr Lynn's instruction; trial before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.

Reports testimony from Fiona McAleenan and Elizabeth Doyle at the ongoing trial regarding forged signatures on loan documents, the non-existent 'Fiona McAleenan Solicitors' firm, and the instruction given to Ms Doyle to sign others' names.

Reports trial evidence from former Permanent TSB commercial lending manager John O'Brien regarding a €1.9m loan delay, a €4.9m loan application, a €3.7m loan, and a €5.5m refinancing proposal, plus documents about Lynn's overseas investment company Kendar Global Properties.

Trial evidence from former Permanent TSB manager John O'Brien regarding a €3.7m loan allegation, including an email from branch manager Ciaran Farrell describing Lynn's reaction to a delay in clearing a €1.9m balance, and documents about Lynn's overseas investment company Kendar Global Properties.

Day 15 of trial; cross-examination of former INBS underwriter Olivia Greene by defence counsel Feargal Kavanagh SC; testimony about Fingleton's role in approving a €4.125m loan and his special powers to vary loan terms; trial continues before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.

Trial evidence details: internal INBS memo requesting prioritisation of Lynn's application, breakdown of 10 property applications (4 at €945k, 3 at just over €1m, 3 at €1.4m), properties in East Wall, Parnell Square, Bolton Street and Gardiner Street, INBS internal documents describing Lynn as having an excellent repayment record and assets over €45 million, and cheques shown to the jury showing loan drawdowns credited to his account.

Reports trial testimony from Sam Beamish, former director of business banking for Ulster Bank, detailing the €3.65m loan to Lynn for 11 Dublin investment properties, the letters of undertaking allegedly forged by an employee, and the breach in October 2007 with no repayment made.

Reports the one-week adjournment of the trial after a juror tested positive for Covid-19; identifies the seven financial institutions and the prosecution case that Lynn obtained multiple mortgages on the same properties without banks knowing of other institutions' finance.

Reports trial evidence from Irish Nationwide Building Society and Bank of Scotland officials who testified they would not have issued loans if they had known about other mortgages on the same properties, and details of the €4.125m and €3.85m mortgages on Glenlion House, Howth.

Trial evidence from INBS internal auditor Killian McMahon detailing the €4.125 million Howth mortgage, the solicitor's undertaking, the cheque issued on 4 April 2007, and the write-off decision in February 2008.

Trial evidence: Killian McMahon, former internal auditor for Irish Nationwide Building Society, identified documents including a home loan application for €4,125,000 for a Howth property, a statement of affairs, a solicitor's undertaking, and a cheque for €4,125,000 issued on 4 April 2007.

Reports on trial evidence regarding the Glenlion House mortgage, including the write-off of the €4.1m loan, details of the mortgage application process, and the prosecution's case that three mortgages totalling over €11m were taken out on the same property.

Reports the opening of the trial before a jury, including the prosecution's opening statement by Patrick McGrath SC describing the alleged scheme of obtaining multiple mortgages on the same properties from seven financial institutions, untruthful documents, and forged letters of undertaking.

Trial opened on 9 February 2022 before Judge Martin Nolan; Patrick McGrath SC prosecuting; 15-juror panel; expected to last up to 14 weeks with over 70 witnesses; prosecution outlined the 'scheme' and 'web of deceit' including forged letters of undertaking and untruthful statement of affairs documents.

Reports the start of the trial, the 21 charges, the seven banks named, the €27 million figure, the prosecution's case of multiple mortgages on the same properties, and the expected trial duration of 12–14 weeks with 70 witnesses.