A sum of £250,000 was received by Mr George Redmond from the builder Mr Tom Brennan over a 20-year period, the former local authority official told the tribunal yesterday.
The tribunal heard that Mr Redmond received the money from the early 1970s, in sums which worked out at £200 per week going up to £300 and £400 a week over the year, so that by the mid-1970s and through the 1980s, he was receiving £15,000 to £16,000 a year.
Tribunal counsel said Mr Brennan's evidence had been that he gave Mr Redmond around £40,000 to £50,000 over the period. Mr Brennan had said he bet his own money at the races, and then paid over the winnings to Mr Redmond.
Mr Desmond O'Neill SC, for the tribunal, asked yesterday about the payments from Mr Brennan, which had been from £15,000 to £17,000 in 1988. What about payments in 1987?
Mr Redmond said they would be similar. Asked if they were given in the same manner, in small payments, Mr Redmond replied: "The very same."
Mr O'Neill said that in one of Mr Redmond's statements to the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) he had said he began to receive money in the late 1960s and then revised this to the early 1970s.
Mr Redmond said: "I have to say I am somewhat vague about their commencement."
Counsel said he had stated in the CAB statements that in the early 1970s he would have been receiving £300 or £400 a week from Mr Brennan but this was revised to the region of £200 a week.
"Yes, again I'm a little bit vague," he said. It would not have been weekly as he would have missed weeks and so would Mr Brennan. If he saw Mr Brennan, there would be payments.
Mr O'Neill said he would be paid 30 or 40 times per annum. Mr Redmond said he could not be specific as he would have been on holidays or Mr Brennan would be on holidays. It would be about £15,000 for 1980. He was trying to work it out, but 40 times per annum would be reasonable. Mr O'Neill said the £200 increased to £300 to £400 per week as time went on.
Mr Redmond said: "I think in the '80s, it cleared £400, before that maybe it was less."
He said he might have seen Mr Brennan for about 10 weeks during the year and on the basis of 40 multiplied by £400, that would be £16,000.
Mr O'Neill said when he was paid £300 to £400 he was up to £16,000 a year. That was the basis of the evidence.
Mr Redmond said that was his best recollection as of now.
Mr O'Neill said he was saying that he was paid £16,000 per annum for seven years from 1973 to 1980.
"Yes," said Mr Redmond.
Mr O'Neill asked if he received £16,000 over the first two years of the 1970s. Mr Redmond said it would cover the first two years so he would have received £8,000 per year.
Mr O'Neill said: "So that is £128,000 until the 1980s. From 1980 to 1989, was it a similar sort of figure?"
Mr Redmond replied: "£15,000 to £16,000, yes."
Counsel said: "So by that reckoning £250,000 was paid to you by Mr Brennan on that basis."
Mr Redmond replied: "On that basis, yes, over a 20-year period, or possibly more if there were some in the 1960s."
Mr O'Neill stated: "You were made aware of the evidence by Mr Brennan who swore on oath to the tribunal that he paid possibly £40,000 to £50,000 over the entire period. You don't agree with that."
Mr Redmond replied: "My present evidence has to stand."