Controversial claims denied in Bryson 'Nama trial'

Controversial claims about Peter Robinson by the loyalist activist Jamie Bryson at a Stormont committee 10 years ago were replayed in court on Thursday.

At the time, Mr Robinson was First Minister of Northern Ireland and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

He described the allegations made in 2015 by Mr Bryson, about a so-called Nama property deal, as "scurrilous and unfounded" without "one iota of evidence".

Mr Bryson, 35, from Rosepark in Donaghadee, is on trial at Belfast Crown Court where he denies a charge of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office, related to the Finance Committee meeting a decade ago.

Video footage of the hearing, which took place in September 2015, was played in court on day three of the trial.

The court was shown Mr Bryson's 47-minute appearance at the committee. He spoke about how Northern Ireland property loans were handled by the National Asset Management Agency, known as Nama.

The claims surrounding Mr Robinson were rejected at the time by the first minister. He said they lacked credibility and had no evidential basis, and he described Mr Bryson's appearance as a "pantomime".

The circumstances surrounding Mr Bryson's attendance at the committee are now the subject on an ongoing trial.

The then chair of the committee was Daithí McKay, who was a member of Sinn Féin at the time.

The Crown's case is that Mr McKay and Mr Bryson exchanged messages before the committee meeting on 23 September 2015.

The prosecution say they were involved in an attempt to subvert the rules of the committee, in order to cause "considerable political embarrassment" to a number of people, including Mr Robinson.

Mr McKay, 43, from Loughan Road, Dunnamanagh, denies a charge of misconduct in public office.

Another man, who was a Sinn Féin member at the time, is also on trial.

Thomas O'Hara, 40, from Lisnahunshin Road, Cullybackey, faces a charge of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office, which he denies.

The Crown alleges he was involved in the exchange of messages between Mr Bryson and Mr McKay.

The non-jury trial, in front of Judge Gordon Kerr KC, began on Tuesday and is expected to last several weeks.

The video footage shown in court on Thursday included a political debate at the committee in 2015, before Mr Bryson gave evidence, about whether it should be heard in public or private.

The then DUP MLA Jim Wells expressed concern about live public transmission of the proceedings.

But the committee decided, after a vote, to stay in open session.

Mr McKay, chair of the committee, said at the time: "Mr Bryson will have the opportunity to put his case across, but there is also an opportunity for members to say, 'well, prove it, give us more evidence, give us your sources'.

"I am willing to give Mr Bryson his day at Committee."

After he gave evidence to the committee, the then Sinn Féin MLA Máirtín Ó Muilleoir said to Mr Bryson: "I do not want to hurt your feelings, but, among some people in the community, you may not be seen as a very credible witness.

"How can we be sure that you are not here because you hate the DUP even more than you hate Sinn Féin?"

Mr Bryson replied: "I do not."

He added: "I have come here and provided the information that I have been given in good faith."

The trial continues.