Counsel questions Gogarty explanation for cheque

Mr Gogarty received a cheque for £50,000 as part of a "finder's fee" from Bovale Developments for selling lands, the tribunal…

Mr Gogarty received a cheque for £50,000 as part of a "finder's fee" from Bovale Developments for selling lands, the tribunal heard. Any other explanation for him having the cheque was a lie.

Mr Colm Allen, for the Baileys, said Mr Gogarty had claimed that the cheque had been stuffed in his breast pocket by Mr Michael Bailey in the Skylon Hotel in 1990. Mr Bailey allegedly gave the cheque to Mr Gogarty with the advice that he should not pursue legal action against the Murphy group and should enjoy his retirement.

However, yesterday Mr Allen said this version was a figment of Mr Gogarty's imagination. Mr Gogarty's "malign purpose in inventing this occurrence" was to pile lie upon lie. Mr Gogarty rejected this.

Mr Allen said Mr Gogarty had invented the story to support his "entirely false premise . . . that there was some form of conspiracy involving the Murphys and the Baileys in relation to Mr Burke". Mr Gogarty said "there was a conspiracy".