This morning, Mick blogged on the latest Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll (while blagging all the most interesting links into the bargain). While there may be some methodological differences, the broader thrust is similar to that of the recent Red C poll where Lab + SF + GP = FF + FG – 2% although this has now drifted out to Lab + SF + GP = FF + FG – 5%, suggesting that this is not simply movement from Labour to Sinn Féin. Last weekend, there …
In an under-reported move on Friday, 63 year-old George Hegarty, of Donnybrook Cottages, Douglas, Cork, pleaded guilty to money laundering at his address in February 2005, knowing or believing that the £66,000 Sterling found at his home represented the proceeds of a robbery at the Northern Bank, Belfast in December 2004, or being reckless as to whether that money was or represented such proceeds. As yesterday’s Irish News noted Mr Hegarty was originally arrested in February 2005 at the same time as …
Ted Cunningham, who received a 10 year sentence for attempting to launder more than £3million from the Northern Bank robbery, has consented to a confiscation order for €343,520 which he is to pay to the Irish State. The Irish Times report notes “Cunningham, who had been granted free legal aid by Judge Murphy, is appealing both his conviction and his sentence to the Court of Criminal Appeal but it may be next year before the appeal is heard.” The report …
RTÉ reports that in Belfast Magistrates Court today 25 year-old Chris Ward, who following the dropping of the cases against two other suspects in January this year is the only person to be charged in connection with the Northern Bank robbery that took place in December 2004, was sent for trial on those charges. No date has yet been set for the trial, although the report suggests it will take place early next year.. and there’s still little sign of …
So it looks like Northern Ireland is going to get a conditional green light for an early election. Conditional because although Sinn Fein appeared to take a giant step towards agreeing to normal policing, the motion passed by the party’s extraordinary conference was heavily conditional on the DUP keeping to the St Andrews timetable. Of course since the DUP gave its overall approval, that should leave the Secretary of State for Wales, etc. free to fire a belated starting pistol …
