A CONVICTED criminal has told the High Court in Dublin that the murdered journalist Veronica Guerin was bet to publish an article saying he was a drug dealer.
Mr John Traynor, a garage owner who lives in Templeogue, is seeking an injunction against publication of the article by the Sunday Independent.
In affidavits Mr Traynor told the court that he was not drug dealer and that he feared publication of the article would "put me at the risk of my life from vigilante types".
In response, Independent Newspapers said it should have the right to publish such an article. It said if it did publish, and the article was claimed to be defamatory, then it would plead justification that is, it would show that the article was based on fact.
Mr Traynor's barrister Adrian Hardiman SC, said that if the article were published and led to a defamation action no amount of compensation could offset the risk to his client's life.
After hearing submissions from both sides, Mr Justice Barron said he intended to rule on the matter today.
In his affidavits Mr Traynor, who was not present in court, said he owned two garages Church Motors at Church Avenue, Rathmines, and Naas Auto Stop in Naas, Co Kildare.
He said he had several criminal convictions in the Republic and the UK. He was first convicted for housebreaking at the age of nine and had later been convicted for assault and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. He had also served a sentence in the UK for receiving stolen bonds. But he said he had never been convicted, charged or questioned by police about importing, supplying or selling drugs.
He described a series of meetings with Ms Guerin at which she sought information about various crimes. He told her he knew nothing about them.
Ms Guerin continually accused him of dealing in drugs, he said. She accused him of dealing in heroin, and later of dealing in "hash" and ecstasy tablets. He denied involvement in drugs. She also said she knew of a social outing" involving Mr Traynor and a friend of his who was a member of the Garda.
Mr Traynor said Ms Guerin had told him she was under pressure from her editor to print articles describing him as a drug dealer. At one stage she said to him "I know you're not involved in heroin but I have to print it." When he asked why, she said. "It's your lifestyle, you have a boat worth a quarter of a million pounds and a string of race cars in Mondello."
Mr Traynor said he had a half share in a boat worth £16,00 and three cars which were "bangers" and worth £7,000, £3,000 and £1,500 respectively.
Mr Hardiman said Independent Newspapers and the editor of, the Sunday Independent should have sworn affidavits in response to Mr Traynor's affidavits, but they had adopted a policy of "artful silence".