Alleged telephone threats made by Mr Joseph Murphy jnr resulted in Mr James Gogarty finishing up as a recluse over the last four years, the chief witness told the tribunal yesterday.
Mr John Gallagher SC, for the tribunal, had asked him what effect the phone calls had on him and his wife. Mr Gogarty said: "I finished up as a recluse for the last four years. I can't go out. Sure I can't go out because that threat was over me by Murphy and it hadn't been brought. I am under it now at the present time, for the last 12 months." He said he was in fear and dread and his family was in fear and dread because "that blackguard" was still out in the open and taunting him. The tribunal was told that gardai had not taken any action against Mr Murphy jnr for the alleged threats. Mr Gogarty said he had gone to Mr Tommy Broughan, the Labour TD, Mr Kevin Neary, solicitor, and Mr Michael McDowell, then a TD, and he asked what more could he do to get reasonable satisfaction. Mr Gallagher asked if he went out at all to the shops, pubs, or church. Mr Gogarty said he never went to pubs. Mr Gallagher asked if he went to church and if he was a churchgoer.
"I was at one time. I don't go now. I made my peace with God. Two or three years ago I was at death's door with a number of complaints, and thanks be to God, due to a successful operation by my surgeon, Sugrue, I got a new lease of life and I made my peace with God and every morning and night I thank God for the bones of another day, even if it is a simple day and I'm not going to put that at risk by coming here and telling lies," said Mr Gogarty who then became extremely distressed and asked if he could have a break. Earlier, Mr Gogarty told the tribunal how gardai had informed him that they would not be prosecuting Mr Murphy over the alleged threatening phone calls. Mr Gallagher asked if he contacted Deputy Tommy Broughan in May 1995 and for what purpose did he contact him.
Mr Gogarty replied that he felt he had not got a reasonable explanation for the grounds for not charging Mr Murphy, particularly with the background that could have been investigated. He contacted Mr Broughan. He (Gogarty) had failed to get a response from gardai.
There was a Bill going through the Dail at the time in May/June 1995 which dealt with making accountants and solicitors accountable for evidence about fraud. Mr Broughan had made a very valuable contribution (to the debate). Mr Broughan was trying to get oral Dail questions to the Minister to have the alleged threats of intimidation investigated and he tried hard over 18 months, Mr Gogarty said.
He said he also thought of the Progressive Democrats and Deputy Michael McDowell "and the high moral ground of which he was a big exponent". He wrote to Mr McDowell and he took up the case with the Minister and "he came up against a stone wall again".