A bank official who was forced to hand over €7.6 million to a criminal gang after his girlfriend and two of her family members were taken hostage has brought a defamation action against the Sunday World newspaper.
In High Court proceedings, Shane Travers alleges an article published on January 31st, 2010, accompanied by captioned photographs, was defamatory of his reputation and character. Mr Travers, Ardilaun, Portmarnock, Dublin, claims the words in the article wrongly meant he was a willing participant in the organisation and execution of the bank raid and that he in some way benefited from it.
Mr Justice John Hedigan has reserved his decision on the application by the newspaper to have the case struck out.