GEORGE REDMOND’S trial for accepting a bribe from former Fianna Fáil councillor Patrick Dunne has heard his tax return for 1990 stated he received £10,000 in “gratuitous receipts” from someone with the initials “PD”.
Mr Redmond made the tax return in 1999 as part of an appeals process against the Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab), which claimed he might owe up to £2.5 million in unpaid revenue.
Mr Redmond (83), of College Gate, Castleknock, has pleaded not guilty to two charges arising out of a compulsory purchase order on 167 acres at Buzzardstown and Coolmine when he was a Dublin assistant county manager.
He denies receiving £10,000 from the late Mr Dunne, on a date between October 10th, 1985, and June 26th, 1989, as an inducement in respect of the compulsory purchase order and to receiving the money as a reward for showing favour to another in relation to the same land.
A Cab officer, identified as Revenue Bureau Officer 7 (RB07), told prosecuting counsel Pauline Walley, with Patrick McGrath BL, that he assessed Mr Redmond’s tax situation and estimated he owed £548,000 plus interest and penalties for the 21 years he failed to file a tax return.
Mr Redmond appealed this figure and filed tax returns which showed in 1990 he received £20,000 in “gratuitous receipts” from people identified with the initials “TB”, “Mr F” and “PD”.
Following his arrest, Mr Redmond admitted he received money from businessmen including Tom Brennan, Brendan Fassnidge and Patrick Dunne. However, he later under oath withdrew the allegation against Mr Dunne.