After a two-week break, James Gogarty was back in the witness box at Dublin Castle today, this time facing questions from the barrister for former JMSE financial director Gerard Downes. In evidence, Mr Gogarty had linked Mr. Downes to what he claimed were irregularities in JMSE during the mid-1980s. Mr. Brian Leonard, SC, said that he was there to defend Mr. Downes credibility as an honest and decent accountant.
He asked Mr Gogarty about his own financial affairs and in particular an Isle of Man bank account he had held between 1989 and 1993, which had accrued £180,000 sterling by the time Mr. Gogarty availed of the tax amnesty here. Mr. Leonard put it to Mr Gogarty that he had been involved in persistent tax fraud in relation to that money during those four years.
"I admit that and I regret it", said Mr Gogarty. But he said that he had cleared this up with the Revenue Commissioners in 1993 and was satisfied that he has been in good stead with the tax authorities ever since.
