THE HIGH Court has made an order that Irish golf professional John McHenry should be paid some €1.05 million for golf development consultancy services provided to Northern Ireland businessman Alastair Jackson and some of his companies.
Mr Justice Peter Kelly yesterday granted judgment in that amount to McHenry Golf Ltd, a firm set up by Mr McHenry, a former K Club director of golf, against Mr Jackson and his firms, Eassda Group Ltd and Eassda Ireland.
The judge refused to put a stay on payment. The defendants' counsel indicated they may bring a claim against McHenry Golf.
Mr McHenry claimed he was retained under a contract of January 2007 by Eassda involving setting up and running a luxurious golf facility at Moyvalley, Co Kildare, which opened last year.
He had received the first €200,000 instalment of a €1 million non-refundable retainer to be paid over two years, with €250,000 a year for consultancy services in years one to three of the five-year arrangement.
He had received just €200,000 of the retainer, plus payments for consultancy services for the period up to October 2007. It had become apparent there were difficulties with the concept of a super-exclusive golf club, he said.
After payments were not met, Mr McHenry said he instructed solicitors. A settlement was reached in November 2007 between lawyers under which the defendants were to pay €1.25 million in instalments at set times.
Mr McHenry said the first payment of €200,000 was made by December 15th, 2007, but Mr Jackson had later told him he would not be paying the second stage payment. Mr McHenry said €1.05 million was now due. The defendants, particularly Mr Jackson, were reputed to have a €700 million fortune, he added.