THE TRIAL is due to get under way in Cork today of a man who is accused of laundering more than £3 million (€3.3 million) seized by gardaí investigating the £26 million Northern Bank robbery in 2004.
Financial adviser Timothy Cunningham (60), also known as Ted Cunningham, Woodbine Lodge, Farran, Co Cork, faces 10 offences of money-laundering between December 20th, 2004, and February 24th, 2005.
The trial, which is scheduled to start today before Judge Con Murphy with the swearing in of a jury at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, is expected to last up to 12 weeks. A large number of witnesses is expected to be called to testify.
Mr Cunningham is charged with possessing £3,010,389 between December 20th, 2004, and February 16th, 2005, at Farran, knowing or believing it represented the proceeds of the robbery at the Northern Bank cash centre, Donegall Square West, Belfast.
Among the other charges he faces are that on February 2nd and February 7th, 2005, at Tullamore, Co Offaly, he transferred sums of £100,060 and £100,040 to a John Douglas, knowing or believing the money to be the proceeds of the Northern Bank robbery.
Mr Cunningham is also charged that at Farran on January 21st, 2005, he transferred £200,000 to a Dan Joe Guerin, knowing or believing it to be the proceeds of the Northern Bank robbery.
He is also charged that on February 7th, 2005, he lodged two cheques to the value of €144,000 to his account at the Agricultural Credit Corporation in Wicklow, knowing or believing them to represent the proceeds of the Northern Bank robbery.
Mr Cunningham is also charged that at Ballincollig, Co Cork, on February 7th, 2005, he transferred £175,360, knowing or believing it to be the proceeds of the Northern Bank robbery, to one John Sheehan, thereby obtaining three cheques to a total value of €200,000.
He was also charged that on February 7th, 2005, he transferred a cheque to the value of €56,000 to his son, Timothy Cunningham jnr, knowing or believing the cheque to represent the proceeds of the Northern Bank robbery.
Timothy Cunningham jnr (33), Church View, Farran, is also due to go on trial today on two charges, including possessing £3,010,380 between December 20th, 2004, and February 16th, 2005, knowing it to be the proceeds of the Northern Bank raid in Belfast.