Dec 18 - Marrache Accountants Acquitted
Following a ruling by the Chief Justice, two accountants who were set to stand trial accused of hiding their knowledge of the Marrache brothers’ multi-million pound fraud were found not guilty at the Supreme Court today.
The Chief Justice Anthony Dudley acquitted Kenneth Robinson, 65, and Ian Wood, 55, who both worked at Baker Tilly, of eight counts of false accounting.
In his ruling, the Chief Justice said that the defendants were accused of suppressing knowledge of the fraud and in allegedly doing so allowed it to continue for longer than would otherwise have been the case possibly resulting in more Marrache & Co clients being defrauded.
The Chief Justice said: “At the heart of the failings may have been limited resources and an earnest desire to minimise cost but this has resulted in a failure to deal with both investigation and disclosure obligations with any degree of expedition and an inclination to avoid what undoubtedly are onerous obligations.
“Despite the investigation having started in March 2012 the failings by the RGP and the prosecution have resulted in the Crown being unable to meet three trial dates. This is compounded by uncertainty as to whether a trial date in February / March 2016 can be met.
“A fair trial can still be had and I evidently acknowledge the importance of the public interest in having those charged with serious offences tried, but the failures by the RGP and the prosecution are so fundamental that balancing the relevant factors it is not in the interests of justice to grant the prosecution an adjournment and vacate a trial date a third time.”
He concluded by saying: “The prosecution indicated at the hearing that in the event that the application was dismissed they would be offering no evidence. In the circumstances pursuant to section 288(3) of the CPEA I direct that a verdict of not guilty be recorded against each defendant in respect of the various counts.”
Mr Robinson was represented by Mr J Barnard with Ms R Gokani, while Mr Wood was represented by Ms A Cotcher QC with Mr T Hillman.
Mr J McGuinness QC and Mr K Tonna appeared for the Crown.
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