A DEVELOPER has denied before the High Court having any involvement with threats allegedly made to another man, including threats from convicted criminal Martin Foley’s debt collection agency.
Dara O’Neill, The Brambles, Brittas Bay, Co Wicklow, is disputing claims by building projects manager Greg Kavanagh that he had something to do with threats allegedly made last month to Mr Kavanagh, including one in which Foley’s “Viper Debt Recovery and Repossession Agency” was involved, Ms Justice Mary Laffoy was told yesterday.
Mr Kavanagh, with an address in Arklow, Co Wicklow, claims he is owed money by Mr O’Neill for project managing the building of a house at Seafield, Ballymoney, Gorey in January 2005. Mr Kavanagh also alleges that Mr O’Neill falsely claimed it was he, Mr Kavanagh, who owed Mr O’Neill money.
He said a man who identified himself as Martin Foley from “The Viper Debt Recovery and Repossession Agency” arrived at his family home in Arklow on April 15th last with another man called Barry and stated they were there to collect money on behalf of Dara O’Neill.
Mr Kavanagh said he felt threatened and intimidated by Mr Foley and the other man and feared for his own and his family’s safety, his mother, brother and sister being in the house at the time.
He told Mr Foley he did not owe Mr O’Neill any money and rather it was he who was owed money by Mr O’Neill. He said Mr Foley advised he would call back “and that I had better pay”.
Mr Kavanagh said, in another earlier incident, an unidentified man who had called with others to his family home had put a gun in his mouth. He said he believed those men were acting for Mr O’Neill who, he said, had previously broken into his office and assaulted him.
Last Thursday, Mr Kavanagh secured a temporary injunction restraining Mr O’Neill or any of his agents threatening or intimidating him or members of his family.
Ms Justice Mary Laffoy was told Mr O’Neill’s lawyers wanted an opportunity to reply to the “very serious” allegations made, all of which he would be strongly contesting.
Mr O’Neill told the court he had not made any such threats as claimed by Mr Kavanagh but was prepared to give an undertaking not to interfere with or threaten Mr Kavanagh or members of the family.
Ms Justice Laffoy adjourned the matter until tomorrow to allow a replying affidavit to be filed by Mr O’Neill and said she was granting the adjournment on the basis of Mr O’Neill’s sworn undertaking.
