THE JURY is expected to go out today to consider the evidence in the case of a 60-year-old financial adviser charged with laundering more than £3 million stolen in the Northern Bank raid in Belfast in December 2004.
Ted Cunningham denies 10 counts of money laundering including one of possessing over £3 million between December 20th, 2004, and February 16th, 2005, at Farran and knowing or believing it represented the proceeds of the robbery at the Northern Bank cash centre.
The trial, which began on January 14th, yesterday entered its final stages at Cork Circuit Criminal Court when Judge Con Murphy reviewed the evidence presented to the jury.
A total of 75 witnesses gave evidence for the prosecution including 15 Northern Bank staff, a further 15 civilian witnesses and more than 40 gardaí involved in the investigation, arrest and questioning of Mr Cunningham about money found in his house in Farran.
Mr Cunningham, one of just two witnesses called by the defence, spent some six days in the witness box giving his direct evidence and then being cross-examined closely by the prosecution over his claim that he received the cash from Bulgarian businessmen.
Finishing yesterday’s review of the evidence, Judge Murphy advised the jury that he would possibly take up to two hours today to conclude his summary and charge, whereupon it would then be up to the jury to decide on Mr Cunningham’s innocence or guilt.
