A long-running trial concerning a businessman accused of fraud has taken a step closer to conclusion after jurors were told they will be sent out to deliberate on Thursday morning.
Frank Cushnahan, who is 84 and from Alexandra Gate in Holywood, has spent almost four months on trial at Belfast Crown Court on a charge of fraud.
Today the jury of nine men and three women were addressed by both the defence and the trial Judge.
It's the Crown's case that between April 1 and November 7, 2013 the corporate financier was providing assistance to the American investment fund Pimco regarding the sale of the Northern Ireland loan book which he failed to disclose.
At the relevant time, the Northern Ireland loan book was held by the Dublin-based National Asset Management, which was set up in the Republic in 2009 following the property crash and banking crisis.
Cushnahan has denied the alleged offence and before the trial judge addressed the jurors, his barrister concluded his closing speech for the defence by urging them to find his client not guilty of "this ridiculous charge."
Frank O'Donoghue KC branded the Crown's case as "an illusion ... with no evidence to support it".
The defence barrister said that rather than trying to benefit himself and being dishonest, Cushnahan "simply tried to help everybody and got himself into trouble because people don't understand this case."
Saying his client has "done nothing wrong", Mr O'Donoghue pointed out Cushnahan "never got paid one penny for the work that he did."
This work, he said, resulted "in success for Nama, success for the Northern Ireland Executive, success for the developers and the builders."
Adding that "the bankers who started this whole mess" were "bailed out", Mr O'Donoghue said his client's reward "was to be hounded for the last ten years."
Mr O'Donoghue concluded his closing speech by telling the jury: "Mr Cushnahan is completely innocent of this ridiculous charge and, ladies and gentlemen, the relentless pursuit of Mr Cushnahan must end this week - and that is something that is in your gift and your gift only.
"I urge you to call an end to this nonsense and find him not guilty of this charge."
Following this, the hearing entered its final stages when the jurors were addressed by Madam Justice McBride.
She took them through a synopsis of the evidence which included email correspondences, a secret recording and interviews Cushnahan had with the National Crime Agency.
The senior judge also reminded the jury of witnesses who were called to give evidence including representatives from Nama and Pimco as well as former First Minister Peter Robinson and Sammy Wilson MP.
Regarding the charge they have to consider, Madam Justice McBride told the jurors to clear their minds of emotion when reaching their verdict.
She said: "You must leave prejudice and sympathy to one side ... you must decide this case fairly in light of the evidence and nothing else."
The Judge also thanked them for their attention and patience during the "very long" trial and told them to return to court on Thursday morning when they will start their deliberations.
