A former Dublin publican yesterday denied in the High Court that he had sexually assaulted a teenage girl who had worked for him. Mr William Bonny (52), a building contractor and former owner of the Bonny and Clyde pub, Newmarket, Dublin, is denying allegations made by Ms Monica Reilly, of South Brown Street, Dublin, that he sexually assaulted her when she worked in his pub.
On the sixth day of the action yesterday, Mr Bonny told his counsel, Mr Martin Giblin SC, that Ms Reilly, or anyone acting on her behalf, had never sought an apology from him for his alleged behaviour. There was never any suggestion but that this case was about anything other than money.
He had never offered Ms Reilly an apprenticeship because he intended his daughter to start working in the pub. He never sexually assaulted Ms Reilly. Cross-examined by Mr Ronald Robbins SC, he said he ended up owing money when he sold the pub in 1996.
Ms Reilly had approached him, through her solicitors for money and he had said no. He was innocent. He could only think of two reasons why she had made the allegations against him - either she had been abused between the ages of 12 to 15 or she had been refused a bar apprenticeship.
Mr Bonny said he believed Ms Reilly was out to make money from the allegations made against him. She was, in effect, blackmailing him, he said. He agreed he had not told the gardai he was being blackmailed and had never taken proceedings against Ms Reilly.
He could not say why he had not reminded the gardai that Ms Reilly had made unfounded abuse allegations against a member of his staff several years ago. Asked by Mr Robbins if he was making a pre-emptive strike by going to the gardai, Mr Bonny said he went in sincerity when the allegations were first made against him.
Mrs Greta Bonny said she was married to Mr Bonny for 30 years and they had four children. She said she worked in the pub six nights a week. She first heard of Ms Reilly's allegations against her husband after a phone call to their home. Her husband had told her Ms Reilly was alleging he had sexually abused her.
She had never heard of any allegations against her husband before that phone call. It had been a nightmare since then. She agreed she had made two court claims on her own behalf and other members of her family had also initiated litigation. She could not remember how much she received after an accident in 1985, but had received £60,000 in relation to another claim in 1989.
Mr Anthony Corrigan said he worked as a lounge boy in the Bonny and Clyde pub from 1991 to 1993. He initially worked one or two nights a week and later worked two or three nights. He worked one or two nights with Ms Reilly. He had heard of the allegations made by Ms Reilly but he never saw Mr Bonny touch her in a sexually inappropriate manner or make suggestive remarks. The action resumes on Monday.