Donegal publican Frank McBrearty is claiming a total of €7.2 million damages in relation to his firm's loss of earnings.
Mr McBrearty was wrongfully arrested and subsequently imprisoned for the murder of Richie Barron, a cattle dealer. It later emerged that some gardaí carried on a campaign of harassment against him and his family.
A civil suit by 63-year-old Mr McBrearty's company, Frank McBrearty and Company, against the Garda Commissioner, the State and the Attorney General, began yesterday before Judge Paul Gilligan. Mr McBrearty's firm is claiming significant losses as a result of "unlawful attacks by agents of the State".
In an opening statement to the court on behalf of Mr McBrearty, Martin Giblin SC recalled a Garda investigation into Mr Barron's death in 1996. Two members of the McBrearty family accused of murdering Mr Barron had since been vindicated.
The family's established business had suffered "severely" and "catastrophically" as a result of Garda harassment. Plans to extend and develop the pub and nightclub business had to be shelved, counsel said.
Mr Giblin told the court that McBrearty's licensed premises in Raphoe had been subjected to frequent visits from Garda officers; hoax bomb threats intended to disrupt the business and frequent traffic diversions in the area.
There was never a hoax bomb threat on a night that the premises did not have a large crowd, counsel said.
In evidence, Frank McBrearty snr said he had plans to develop a hotel and go into the construction industry but this never happened.