There was a superb wee moment in the Craig Whyte trial today, as Gary Withey sat on the stand and argued the toss with Donald Findlay about how the Rangers deal was “funded” back in 2012. The crucial question here is about who knew what and when.
Withey has said today that not only did Murray know Ticketus were involved with Whyte but that it was him who suggested the two parties get together.
This isn’t “new news”; it’s been well-known amongst the Bampots and the more avid readers for a few years now.
It’s good to hear it being said in open court though; that kind of makes it official.
Findlay is very interested in references, throughout the reams of evidence, to “third party funding”. As he pointed out today, it’s the issue a lot of the prosecution witnesses’ wish would go away. He has alluded, as others have, to the idea that this was a reference to Ticketus; Withey has confirmed that today.
Showing Withey the documents related to the share purchase, Findlay drew his attention to the mention of “third party funding” in the agreement.
“How could a lawyer not be aware of what that means?” he asked.
Withey replied. “They (Murray) could just ask, who is it?”
“Did they?” Findlay asked.
Withey said “No.” Which on the surface of it is unbelievable.
Withey went on to say “Murray could asked about (that) and refused to sell the club if they didn’t get an answer … I was staggered they didn’t. They deleted the line in the agreement that asked about the funding.”
Findlay then declared that the mentions of “third party funding” were “not going to go away although some people might like it to.”
The crucial question of who might provide the working capital was raised, and it was then Withey dropped the bombshell; it was Murray himself who suggested that Whyte open talks with them. “Why not use Ticketus? We use them all the time. They’re really good,” Murray’s people told Whyte. And indeed they had; it was revealed earlier in the month that they used them for, amongst other things, the first tranche of the Jelavic transfer fee.
As if all this wasn’t embarrassing enough for the former “custodians” of Rangers and their slavering media sycophants, Withey had one more humiliating detail to slip in; he doesn’t believe Craig Whyte ever did hand over that quid.
“They could have used it as a souvenir,” Findlay said, doubtless in a voice dripping with sarcasm.
As a piece of Scottish football history I think the Craig Whyte Quid definitely does belong on public display, whether he actually handed it over or simply teased Murray with it during the signing ceremony. If we ever got our hands on it for the SFA museum I think it would draw bigger crowds than the Declaration of Independence.
Maybe when the trial’s over, whoever has it can donate it for us.
Thanks as ever to James Doleman for the excellent tweets.