Jamie Bryson to call DUP MLA Jim Wells as defence witness in NAMA ‘conspiracy’ case

Veteran DUP MLA Jim Wells is to be called as a defence witness in a potentially explosive criminal trial involving the loyalist Jamie Bryson, former Sinn Féin MLA Daithi McKay and allegations of corruption around the sale of NAMA’s vast property portfolio in Northern Ireland.
Prominent loyalist Jamie Bryson arriving at court this morning, flanked by supportersProminent loyalist Jamie Bryson arriving at court this morning, flanked by supporters
Prominent loyalist Jamie Bryson arriving at court this morning, flanked by supporters

The case centres on a Stormont committee hearing in 2015 when Mr Bryson sensationally alleged – using Assembly privilege, meaning that he could not be sued for libel over what he said – that the then DUP leader and First Minister, Peter Robinson, stood to benefit from the £7 million moved to an offshore bank account as part of the deal to sell the loans to US vulture fund Cerberus.

Mr Robinson immediately rebutted the allegation that the money was earmarked for five individuals, of whom he was one, saying: “I repeat, I neither received, expected to receive, sought, nor was I offered a single penny as a result of the NAMA sale.”

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Although Mr Bryson could not face defamation proceedings over the allegations, it subsequently emerged that there had been prior contact between the loyalist and Daithi McKay, the Sinn Féin chairman of the Stormont committee where he had made the claims.

Mr McKay quickly quit politics as a result of the controversy over that revelation and DUP chairman Lord Morrow asked the PSNI to investigate if a crime had been committed.

The police subsequently charged Mr Bryson, Mr McKay and Sinn Féin member Thomas O’Hara – who is alleged to have acted as a go-between between the loyalist and the MLA – with conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office “by the manipulation of the presentation of evidence” before the committee.

This afternoon Mr Bryson, who is representing himself in the case, appeared in Belfast Magistrates Court where he told District Judge Fiona Bagnall that he will be calling DUP MLA Jim Wells – who has lost the DUP whip at Stormont but remains a party member – as a defence witness during a preliminary enquiry into the evidence against him.

Neither Mr McKay nor Mr O’Hara were in court.

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Mr Bryson had arrived in court with about 10 male supporters who sat together in the public gallery.

Mr O’Hara’s is represented by Padraig Ó Muirigh Solicitors and Mr McKay is represented by Madden and Finucane Solicitors, who were not present in court.

Mr O’Hara’s solicitor told the court that his client was “of limited means” and made an application for legal aid.

During a brief hearing, the judge refused a request by Mr Bryson, who was wearing a Union Flag tie, to use a court bench reserved for lawyers and he instead spoke from just outside the dock.

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Mr Bryson said that he intended to call “one defence witness, Jim Wells” and said that in all there may be as many as 10 witnesses for the preliminary enquiry.

He said that he had been in discussions with the prosecution and would consider if that number could be reduced.

Mr Bryson also told the court that he was considering summonsing DUP chairman Lord Morrow to be questioned in the hearing.

Ms Bagnall said that there would be “plenty of time for you to issue whatever you want” and adjourned the case for another hearing to discuss the witnesses on 11 February.

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Mr Wells told the News Letter that he had initially written back to Mr Bryson to refuse his request to appear as a defence witness but Mr Bryson had made clear that he could be summonsed to appear and therefore, not wanting to waste court time and money, he had “reluctantly said yes”.

Mr Wells, who was the most senior DUP figure on the committee at the time, said that he accepted that “because of my position on the committee, I was expecting to be called anyhow”.