A High Court judge has said there appears to be little doubt a 'fraud' was perpetrated by a barrister who, while acting as tax consultant to a company, received large sums to be paid to the Revenue to settle tax liabilities but the Revenue never received those monies.
Mr Justice Peter Kelly said the claims by the REL Refrigeration Group regarding Mr Patrick Russell of Steelstown, Rathcoole, Co Dublin should be made known to the Garda National Bureau of Fraud Investigation.
The judge said the Revenue should also be made aware of claims that Mr Russell had, during a consultation with an REL director, put the director onto the phone to a person whom Mr Russell stated was a Revenue official. The company later learned this person was allegedly an impersonator.
The judge yesterday agreed, 'with reservations' to appoint an examiner to the REL Refrigeration Group Ltd (REL) and Refrigeration Engineering Ltd, of Hebron Industrial Estate, Kilkenny.
