Former Anglo Irish Bank CEO Sean Fitzpatrick has been formally acquitted in front of a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
His case collapsed yesterday following a ruling by the trial judge and the court heard there are no pending prosecutions.
Sean Fitzpatrick emerged from the Criminal Courts of Justice at 11.15 to a sea of photographers, TV crews and reporters as he made his way to a waiting taxi.
Mr. Fitzpatrick had denied misleading Anglo’s auditors and furnishing false information to same in relation to multi-million euro loans.
Yesterday, Judge John Aylmer decided the case shouldn’t go to the jury because of the shortcomings in the prosecution’s evidence.
He was highly critical of the investigation by the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement.
This morning, Judge Aylmer asked the foreperson to sign the issue paper and confirm Mr. Fitzpatrick’s acquittal.
He then told the former CEO of Anglo Irish Bank he was “now free to go” – to which Mr. Fitzpatrick replied: “thank you Judge”.
