A CO ROSCOMMON contractor has denied before the High Court he had intimidated a couple over an alleged debt.
The couple earlier this week secured an injunction against contractor Richard Kenny and his agents after alleging they had been harassed by employees of Viper Debt Recovery and Repossession Services.
Ms Justice Mary Laffoy had returned to yesterday the injunction granted to retired surveyor Séamus Campbell and his wife Teresa Hand-Campbell, a school principal, Glebe House, Cloghan’s Glebe Kiltoom, Co Roscommon, against Mr Kenny, Castleplunkett, Castlerea, Co Roscommon and his agents. The couple deny they owe some €13,250 to Mr Kenny for work on a garden. The alleged debt is the subject of separate Circuit Court proceedings initiated by Mr Kenny.
Yesterday, Mr Kenny denied he had intimidated the couple but undertook to obey the terms of the injunction.
Ms Justice Laffoy adjourned the matter for a week and told Mr Kenny he would have to decide by then whether he was fighting the matter or not. Mr Kenny told the judge that he didn’t have €10,000 for a solicitor.
In an affidavit, Ms Hand-Campbell has said two men, with a white van which had written on its side: “Viper Debt Recovery and Repossession Services Limited,” called to her door earlier this month.
One man stood near the van with his arms folded and looked “quite threatening”, she said. The other man handed her a business card and stated: “We work for Martin Foley of Viper Debt Recovery. We are here to collect €13,500 owing to Richard Kenny.”
Ms Hand-Campbell said she felt very threatened and asked the men to leave immediately. As they left, one of the men said: “We will be back later and again tomorrow without a doubt”.
Notwithstanding the involvement of gardaí at various stages, she said Mr Kenny had not desisted in his unlawful conduct.
Ms Hand-Campbell said she had not joined the Viper company to the proceedings as she was greatly intimidated by its reputation but she asked the court for an appropriate order restraining them acting for the defendant.