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Three Cleared of Misconduct in Public Office in NAMA Trial
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By Anya Sharma | BELFAST – 2025/07/03 11:38:42
A Belfast Crown Court has acquitted three men of charges related to misconduct in public office following a long-running trial concerning the National Asset Management agency (NAMA).
Loyalist activist Jamie Bryson, 35, from Rosepark in Donaghadee, and co-accused Thomas O’Hara, 41, from Lisnahunshin Road in Cullybackey, where found not guilty of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office. The charges related to a Stormont committee hearing in 2015 that examined the sale of NAMA’s Northern ireland assets.
Former Sinn Féin MLA Daithí McKay, 43, from Loughan Road in Dunamanagh, who chaired the finance committee at the time, was also found not guilty of misconduct in public office.
Key Points of the NAMA Trial
The NAMA trial centered around Jamie Bryson’s 2015 appearance before the Stormont committee, which was chaired by Daithí McKay. The committee investigated the sale of NAMA’s Northern Ireland assets to a US investment fund.
The criminal probe was initiated after leaked Twitter messages between mr. Bryson, mr. McKay, and Mr. O’Hara surfaced.At the time, Mr. O’Hara was a Sinn Féin activist in north Antrim.
Daithí McKay resigned as an MLA shortly after the Twitter messages were published in August 2016.
“Judge Gordon Kerr KC cleared all three of the charges they faced.”
Background: The NAMA Inquiry
the Stormont Finance Committee inquiry was established in 2015 amidst political controversy surrounding the multimillion-pound sale of NAMA’s property portfolio. The inquiry focused on assets located north of the border.
NAMA was created in 2009 to manage property loans from Irish banks that were on the brink of collapse during the financial crisis [1]. NAMA acquired loans with a book value of approximately €70 billion for €30 billion, requiring the Irish State to provide capital to cover the banks’ balance sheet shortfalls [2].
NAMA later sold its 800 Northern Ireland-linked properties to the investment fund Cerberus for £1.2 billion.
During his 2015 testimony before the committee, Jamie Bryson invoked assembly privilege to accuse former DUP leader Peter Robinson of being a beneficiary of the sale.
The then-first minister of Northern Ireland, Peter robinson, vehemently denied any suggestion of benefiting from the deal. All other parties involved in the transaction also denied any wrongdoing.
Judge Gordon Kerr KC delivered the judgment in the non-jury trial, clearing all three men of the charges.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is NAMA?
NAMA,the National Asset Management Agency,was established by the Irish government to manage distressed property loans from Irish banks following the 2008 financial crisis.
Why was the Stormont Finance Committee inquiry set up?
The inquiry was set up in 2015 amid political controversy over the multimillion-pound sale of NAMA’s property portfolio in Northern ireland.
Who was involved in the NAMA trial?
The trial involved Loyalist activist Jamie Bryson, Thomas O’Hara, and former Sinn Féin MLA Daithí McKay, all of whom were acquitted of charges related to misconduct in public office.
