The fact that Mr Joseph Murphy jnr was "torpedoed in on top" of him caused Mr James Gogarty to resent Mr Murphy and make "unbelievable" allegations against him, Mr Michael Bailey told the tribunal. Mr Bailey said that from the time Mr Murphy jnr joined the company, Mr Gogarty gave the impression that he "absolutely wanted him out of it".
He agreed with counsel for JMSE, Mr Garret Cooney SC, that there was no doubt Mr Gogarty had "a deep-rooted malice" towards the younger Mr Murphy.
He also agreed that Mr Gogarty "is an extremely ruthless and vicious man when he develops an enmity or hostility towards somebody".
He said he "never thought there was such individuals in this country or island that would go to such lengths".
Mr Cooney said Mr Gogarty had "attempted to ruin the career of a detective sergeant" by making false allegations. He said the allegations Mr Gogarty had made against Mr Murphy jnr were "of the same calibre and uttered with the same evil intent".
The chairman of the tribunal, Mr Justice Flood, told Mr Cooney he had "gone beyond" certain limits he should have observed in commenting about Mr Gogarty's dispute with the detective. Mr Cooney said he was trying to establish that Mr Gogarty had "attempted to ruin another man's reputation" but he accepted the chairman's ruling.
Mr Bailey could not help Mr Cooney with the exact date of his meeting with former minister Mr Ray Burke. He felt it was in the week before the 1989 general election but could not say whether it was the Monday, Tuesday or Friday of that week.
All he could say was that Mr Murphy jnr definitely did not attend the meeting.
Mr Cooney said the issue of whether Mr Murphy jnr was present at Mr Burke's house when Mr Gogarty and Mr Bailey met the minister was "central to the truth of many of the allegations which have been made by Mr Gogarty".
Mr Bailey and Mr Burke had testified that Mr Murphy jnr was not present. Mr Murphy jnr would also testify that he wasn't there and would be able to establish his whereabouts at the time. Mr Bailey said he had no recollection of Mr Murphy jnr phoning him after he met Mr Burke in June 1997. Nor had he any recollection of telling Mr Murphy jnr that he had been at a meeting with Mr Burke and Mr Bertie Ahern.
Mr Bailey said he had never been at a meeting with Mr Ahern.
