A housewife has been cleared by a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury of handling paintings valued €2.6 million that had been stolen from the Beit Collection.
Ms Rosemary Quinn (48) of St Aongus Park, Tallaght wept in court after the jury of eight men and four women confirmed its unanimous not guilty verdict following four hour's deliberations and an overnight stay in a hotel. It was day nine of the trial.
Ms Quinn had pleaded not guilty to handling the paintings, "Madame Baccelli" by Thomas Gainsborough and "A View of Florence" by Bernardo Belotto, on June 26th, 2001, from Russborough House, Co Wicklow.
Judge Michael White told Ms Quinn she was free to go from the court and thanked the jury for its service during what he said was a difficult trial.