A fruit and vegetable trader admitted yesterday he deliberately insulted a traffic warden using robust language typical of the Dublin markets but denied he meant to slander him.
Judge Yvonne Murphy held in the Circuit Civil Court that a trader, Mr Matt Butler, had slandered Mr Patrick Leddy when he suggested he was accepting bribes from a cash and carry company in return for ignoring illegal parking outside its premises.
Awarding Mr Leddy £3,000 damages, she said she accepted there was some truth in Mr Butler's claim that he had used language typical of the type of banter that went on daily in the markets, but he had nevertheless slandered a public official trying to do a difficult job.
Judge Murphy rejected claims by Mr Leddy, of Woodbine Park, Auburn Avenue, Castleknock, Dublin, that he had been assaulted by Mr Butler while writing him a parking ticket outside St Michan's Street Fruit Market.
He told his counsel, Mr Hugh Mohan, that Mr Butler had emerged "roaring and shouting" from the market. He had pushed his face up against his, pushing his cap back on his head, and told him: "Go down to Fegans' and get your beans and peas and bribes."
Mr Leddy said he was mortified at Mr Butler's suggestion he had been taking goods from Fegan's cash and carry store in return for allowing Fegan's customers park unmolested on a double yellow line.
He had never taken bribes from anyone to allow them to park anywhere, he said.