THE LOVE and sex lives of some Aer Lingus workers at Dublin airport were almost a daily source of gossip and confidential social interplay, a judge heard yesterday.
Barrister Louise Fogarty described the case as a tragic one of alleged defamation, isolation, bullying and harassment that should never have reached court.
Judge Jacqueline Linnane dismissed a claim by ground operative Wayne Hanratty for slander against colleague Louise Kennedy on the grounds he had failed to prove his case.
Mr Hanratty (40), who works with the Aer Lingus boarding section and lives at Violet Hill Road, Glasnevin, had sued Ms Kennedy, Sandford Wood, Swords, Co Dublin, for €38,000 damages.
Shelley Horan, for Mr Hanratty, told the court he was also seeking an injunction restraining Ms Kennedy from further stating he had raped, attempted to rape or had sexually assaulted his former girlfriend Suzanne McPartlan.
The Circuit Civil Court heard Mr Hanratty previously had a two-year romantic relationship with Ms McPartlan, Portmarnock, Co Dublin.
Following their break-up, Ms McPartlan had entered a relationship with Ray White, Lusk, Co Dublin, and Mr Hanratty had become romantically involved with Caroline O’Connell, Clonsilla, Dublin.
In his claim for slander and defamation against Ms Kennedy, he alleged that in October 2009 she had said to his colleague Aideen Murphy, St Margaret’s, Co Dublin: “At least this guy [Ray White] won’t be as bad as Wayne. He won’t try to have sex with Suzanne in her sleep. That’s rape.”
He also claimed that in January 2010, Ms Kennedy told Louise Rispin, Navan, Co Meath: “I wonder will Wayne break Caroline down like he did Suzanne.
“I remember she was bubbly and happy until Wayne got his hands on her . . . you would think butter wouldn’t melt in Wayne’s mouth but underneath the innocent person is a nasty person.”
Mr Hanratty claimed the statements held him out to be a rapist, a bad character guilty of a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment.
Judge Linnane dismissed Mr Hanratty’s case with costs against him.