Former K Club manager tells court he was fearful for his safety

A former catering manager at the K Club has told the High Court he was fearful for his safety after, as he alleges, another man threatened him at Punchestown Races.

The other man allegedly said Dr Michael Smurfit had "not forgotten" statements made by the manager about the businessman and "call girls" .

Peter Curran has claimed that, on May 7th, 2011, K Club resort superintendent Gerry Byrne blocked his way in the toilets at Punchestown Races and told him: "Dr Smurfit has not forgotten the statements about him and the call girls. Dr Smurfit knows where to find you and this is not over."

Mr Curran told the court on Thursday: “I was fearful for my safety. I felt it was a threat to where I was living. I started to lock the window and doors, I double checked. I know the man is a tyrannical bully and a psychopath and could do damage to me.”

Evidence

Mr Curran, who lives in Cahirciveen, Co Kerry, said he also put a knife in his drawer. “I took the threat from Dr Smurfit, from the messenger, that anything was possible,” he added.

He was giving evidence on the second day of his action against his former employer the K Club resort, Straffan, Co Kildare; Dr Michael Smurfit and Mr Byrne. All three defendants deny the claims. Mr Smurfit and the K Club further deny the incident took place but, without prejudice to that denial, plead, if it did, Mr Byrne did not act on their behalf or on their instructions.

Mr Byrne has denied all claims.

In his action, Mr Curran claimed the alleged motive behind the encounter with Mr Byrne in 2011 was a reference to another case he had previously settled relating to his K Club employment in which he referred in a document to call girls being given free use of the hotel facilities at the K Club.

On Thursday, Mr Curran said he was “shell shocked and tearful” after the encounter at Punchestown Races and his mind began to shut down. “I made no statements about him and call girls,” he said.

Mr Curran said he did not know how he got back home and it was like a nightmare.

Case

Mr Curran was catering manager at the K Club between September 1997 and October 1998 when he claims he was forced to leave. He later brought an unfair dismissal case which was settled in March 1999.

He later brought High Court proceedings claiming alleged breach to his constitutional right to his good name and to earn a livelihood. During the run-up to that case, in replies to written questions and particulars, relating to alleged financial irregularities he had allegedly uncovered at the K Club, Mr Curran made reference that call girls, sometimes sourced abroad, were given free use of the hotel facilities at the K Club.

It is also claimed he referred in answers to particulars that the owners of apartments unknowingly received rental income from the K Club as a result of call girls using the apartments.

Those High Court proceedings were settled. It is claimed it was an implied term of the agreement Mr Curran would not be threatened, harassed or intimidated in any manner. The case before Mr Justice Anthony Barr continues.