THE HIGH Court has dismissed as an abuse of the court’s process an action for damages by a former manager of a halting site for Travellers near Ennis against Clare County Council over alleged harassment and intimidation of him by Travellers.
Mr Justice John MacMenamin yesterday granted an application by the council to strike out Glen McCreanor’s case as an abuse of court process.
The judge found that a diary of Mr McCreanor for 2003, which was at the centre of his case, had been substantially altered, and there was no evidence of an innocent explanation for these numerous alterations. He said many innocent entries were embroidered with details of threats and implications of violence and misconduct.
The diary contained “what could only be seen as falsehoods” and had been doctored, the judge concluded.
Mr McCreanor (45), of Ennis, had told the court he kept a diary of a number of incidents in which he alleged he was threatened and abused.
He had begun working for the council in 2002 as manager of a halting site at Gort Road, Ennis. He had claimed bullying and threats by members of the Travelling community aimed at him. As a result of these, Mr McCreanor claimed he became depressed and started drinking. In July 2003 he had to be hospitalised suffering from alcoholic hallucinosis.
He claimed he was fit for work of some kind from December 2003, but the council had failed to provide him with any alternative work, whether managing an alternative Traveller site or otherwise. He had sought substantial damages.