Late Late Show host Pat Kenny was today accused of a betraying a friendship in trying to take possession of a potentially lucrative piece of land, the High Court heard today.
The broadcaster is embroiled in a long-running legal row with his neighbour Gerard Charlton over a tiny strip of cliff-top ground beside their Dalkey homes.
In a last-ditch attempt to halt the court battle over the land row, Mr Kenny’s lawyers claimed a set of aerial photographs have been held back by Mr Charlton interfering with their case.
Brian O’Moore SC told the court, Mr Charlton wanted to keep the pictures for tactical advantage in court. But responding to the allegations, the retired solicitor’s lawyer said the Kennys had betrayed a friendship.
"The Kennys were treated by them as great friends and welcomed to the community by them," Eoghan Fitzsimons SC said.
"There’s a sense of shock and terrible betrayal that the defendants are seeking to take land from them that is theirs." Mr Fitzsimons said the fact that the Charltons and Kennys had been friends ultimately accentuated the sense of shock over the land dispute.
The row, between Mr Kenny and his wife Cathy and Mr Charlton and his wife Maeve, is over the ownership of a small strip of land known as Gorse Hill between their homes in Dalkey.
Mr Charlton claims he owns the site, but Mr Kenny has argued he acquired title to the land - which runs the length of his home - following adverse possession or squatter’s rights.
Mr Kenny’s lawyers claimed the set of photos were held back from them damaging their case and lodged an application with the High Court to halt the legal battle.
"I think he was holding back the photographs to use them for some tactical advantage," Mr Kenny’s lawyer Brian O’Moore said. Mr Justice Frank Clarke will rule on the matter tomorrow morning after studying documents.
PA