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Former Anglo Irish Bank chairman Sean Fitzpatrick leaving the Dublin Criminal Court today Photograph: Niall Carson/PA

He was one of the masters of the Irish financial universe whose bank almost bankrupted Ireland.



But on Wednesday the former chairman of the Anglo Irish Bank Sean Fitzpatrick walked free from a Dublin court after being acquitted of misleading the bank’s auditors about multi-million euro loans.



After the longest trial in Irish criminal history Fitzpatrick stood on the steps of the Republic’s Criminal Courts of Justice to declare:

“It’s wonderful day.”

Photograph: Niall Carson/PA

Twenty four hours earlier Mr Justice John Aylmer had told jurors he was going to direct them to acquit Fitzpatrick. The former Anglo Irish Bank executive had pleaded not guilty to misleading the bank’s auditors about loans to him and people connected with him.



Today, the 126th day of at bewildering and complex trial, Fitzpatrick’s defence had argued that the case should not go before the jury because of flaws in the investigation process and in the prosecution case....



We’ll have more details shortly....