A DUBLIN city restaurant owner has been intimidated, harassed and threatened by employees of a debt recovery agency over a disputed debt of some €70,000, the High Court was told yesterday.
Patrick Whelan, the owner of the Mexico to Rome restaurant, Temple Bar; Salamanca, St Andrews Street; and Da Pino, Parliament Street, has been “shaken to the core” and “fears for his family and employees” as a result of being threatened and intimidated by individuals calling themselves Debt 1 Recovery.
Another shareholder, Caroline Boyle, had also received threats.
Since December last, debt collectors had entered the restaurants shouting they were owed money and had intimidated staff and sent threatening messages, it was stated. Acid was poured over Mr Whelan’s Aston Martin and over his daughter’s car.
Ms Justice Mary Laffoy granted Mr Whelan and Ms Boyle an interim injunction, returnable to tomorrow, against Jim and Colm Banks, trading as Jim Banks Sons Ltd, Strand Road, Portmarnock, Co Dublin, and their servants and agents. The order prevents the defendants watching, besetting, harassing or intimidating the plaintiffs or attending at their restaurant on Parliament Street.
In an affidavit, Mr Whelan said Jim Banks had supplied his businesses with dairy and dry products since the mid-1990s. In June 2009, Mr Banks had said a sum of €45,000 was due to him for a period of over 14 years. While he accepted some money was owed, Mr Whelan said it was nowhere near the amount claimed. He said that last July persons acting for Mr Banks had arrived at Mexico to Rome, one said he was Frank Stacey of Debt 1 Recovery and told him to “pay up or else”.
Following talks with the defendants, Mr Whelan said he thought the matter had been resolved but the intimidation had started again last December. A workman doing a refit on one of his businesses was told by Mr Stacey the place “will not get opened unless we get paid”. Mr Whelan said he received a number of threatening mobile phone calls and text messages from Mr Stacey and his associates. He said his family are now in fear and want to leave their home.