Property developer Tom Gilmartin yesterday denied as "a damn lie" that he was on a mission to defend his reputation and was prepared to hit out at anyone indiscriminately.
When cross-examining Mr Gilmartin about his business problems, Mr Garrett Cooney SC asked Mr Gilmartin if he was "threatening" Mr Cooney. Mr Gilmartin replied: "I'm advising you." The judge told Mr Gilmartin not to engage or comment.
Mr Gilmartin was being cross-examined during the High Court action by Fianna Fβil national organiser Mr Sean Sherwin alleging he was libelled in a Sunday Independent article by political editor Jody Corcoran on February 14th, 1999. It is claimed the article meant Mr Sherwin wrongfully solicited money from Mr Gilmartin for his sister-in-law, Mrs Catherine Sherwin, who stood as a candidate in local elections.
Mr Cooney, for Mr Sherwin, asked Mr Gilmartin if he was having business problems at the time he met Mr Sherwin. Mr Gilmartin said he did not discuss his business problems with Mr Sherwin. That was a matter for the Flood tribunal. He was not going into any evidence that was in his statement to the tribunal.
Mr Gilmartin said he did have business problems arising from the finance necessary to progress the Quarryvale project. His company, Barkhill, had borrowed £8 million from AIB.
Asked had AIB put pressure on him, Mr Gilmartin said counsel was prying into a private matter. Asked if he was under pressure from the bank, Mr Gilmartin said that was only at the end of 1990. He had other investors who were prepared to "take out" the bank.
Mr Gilmartin said if Mr Cooney went any further, he might be in the realm of the tribunal and suggested that counsel not pry any further because, in the interests of fairness, it would not do his client any good.
Mr Cooney asked Mr Gilmartin if he was "threatening" him. Mr Gilmartin said: "I'm advising you."
The hearing resumes on Tuesday.