A Dublin business consultant, Mr Peter Bolger, yesterday denied he was associated with Mr George Mitchell, who is said to have a criminal record and is living in Amsterdam.
Mr Bolger, of Glendown Lawn, Templeogue, was being cross-examined by Mr Donal O'Donnell SC, for the Criminal Assets Bureau, regarding his purchase of a Mercedes 200 from Mr Mitchell in October 1995.
The High Court proceedings relate to the ownership of another car, a Mercedes 250, later bought by Mr Bolger.
The car was seized on the CAB's instructions by the Dublin County Sheriff, Mr John M. Fitzpatrick, at Dublin Airport last September.
CAB officers arrested Mr Bolger at the airport on the same occasion under the Drug Trafficking Act.
He was later released.
The CAB alleges Mr Bolger owns the car, which was seized to partly settle his £140,000 tax bill.
A company called Louisville, of which Mr Bolger is a director, claims it and not Mr Bolger owns the vehicle.
The sheriff has asked Mr Justice Shanley to decide who the owner is. The hearing will resume on Tuesday.
In court yesterday Mr Bolger said under cross-examination he paid £10,400 for the Mercedes 200 which, he said, he bought from Mr Mitchell.
He agreed he had insured the car for £8,500. He said he paid a £400 deposit and the balance of £10,000 considerably later.
Replying to Mr O'Donnell, he said that in October 1995 he owned the car although he had only paid a £400 deposit. He thought he had paid the balance on July 18th, 1996.
When Mr O'Donnell said the transaction seemed incredible, Mr Bolger replied it might seem so to Mr O'Donnell but to a businessman it would not.
Mr O'Donnell read from Mr Bolger's statement to gardai in October 1995. In that statement Mr Bolger said he gave Mr Mitchell a £1,500 deposit. He said he felt he was getting good value and was to pay £7,500 for the car.
Mr O'Donnell asked which deposit figure was correct. Mr Bolger replied that both were, because at the time the circumstances immediately changed.
Mr Bolger said Mr Mitchell had asked what his business was and if Mr Bolger could arrange a loan for a property transaction in London. Mr Bolger said he had further negotiated the purchase of a second car and a deferred payment on the Mercedes 200.
He said he had hoped to negotiate a loan for Mr Mitchell. He agreed the value of the Mercedes 200 at £10,400 and denied he got involved in a property deal with Mr Mitchell.
He agreed he was attempting to arrange a loan for Mr Mitchell and that he would be rewarded for that. If he arranged the loan, the car price was going to be £7,500 and if he did not then it would be £10,400, he said.
Mr Bolger said he was asked to arrange a loan for Mr Mitchell and another man, Mr Doran. The loan was for more than £1 million. Mr O'Donnell said there was documentation from a solicitor acting on behalf of Mr Bolger which linked Mr Bolger to Mr Mitchell, who had a criminal record and was living in Amsterdam.
Mr Bolger said he knew nothing about Mr Mitchell's criminal record or where he lived, and the loan never materialised.