Three former executives from Anglo Irish Bank have gone on trial in Dublin. <br /><br />It is the first such case since the financial crisis that forced the Irish government to accept an eighty five billion euro international bailout.<br /><br />Sean FitzPatrick – the bank’s former chairman and chief executive – along with former chief financial officer Pat Whelan and former finance director William McAteer deny charges that they provided unlawful financial assistance.<br /><br />Prosecutors said they lent money to a number of investors, businessmen and their families to buy the bank’s shares, thereby boosting the price of those shares. <br /><br />The extremely complicated trial is due to last three to four months, with as many as 100 witnesses due to give evidence.
