Judge to take no further action over Bryson Nama trial ‘lies’

The judge in the Nama trial has said he will take no further action against Jamie Bryson despite stating he believed the loyalist activist lied while giving evidence.

Mr Bryson has welcomed the decision and insisted again he told the truth during the trial.

He was cleared of a charge of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office at Belfast Crown Court last week.

But in his judgment, Judge Gordon Kerr KC said he believed Mr Bryson had “lied on oath” over communications in 2015 with former Sinn Fein MLA Daithi McKay, who was cleared of a charge of committing misconduct in public office.

The trial had related to Mr Bryson’s 2015 appearance before a Stormont committee, chaired by Mr McKay, which was investigating the sale of Nama’s Northern Ireland assets to a US investment fund.

The criminal probe was launched after the publication of leaked Twitter messages between Mr Bryson, Mr McKay and the account of Thomas O’Hara, who at the time was a Sinn Fein activist in north Antrim, and who was also cleared last week of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office.

Mr McKay quit as an MLA within hours of the Twitter messages being published in August 2016.

In his evidence, Mr Bryson said he did not realise the messages he was sending to Mr O’Hara were being relayed to Mr McKay.

In his ruling Judge Kerr said he believed Mr Bryson had lied during his evidence said the Twitter exchange “only made sense” if Mr Bryson knew he was communicating with Mr McKay.

The judge had previously said he was considering whether any further action should be taken against the loyalist.

But in a statement released through the office of the Lady Chief Justice, Judge Kerr said: “I do not intend to take or propose any further action in relation to Mr Bryson.”

Mr Bryson responded: “I welcome how quickly HHJ Kerr has dealt with this matter, which was a sideshow stirred up mainly by online trolls.

“It is of further significance that Judge Kerr has went further than merely refusing to take action, but also in effect does not propose anyone else should either.

“That seems to me to be a clear indication to any other persons or bodies who may think this is an opportunity to muck around, that they ought not to.”

He added: “I maintain that I told the truth and also my respectful disagreement with that one specific comment.

“But I thank Judge Kerr for the fair way he has dealt with the trial and how expeditiously he has also put this issue to bed.”