A verdict is expected later today in a High Court action by a self-employed contractor who alleges he was slandered by well-known businessman Joseph Murphy jnr during exchanges in a busy west of Ireland pub.
Mr Murphy has denied the claims and his counsel submitted yesterday that the action was "a poor attempt at bad blackmail".
Michael McManus, Mulberry Park, Ballinoade, Sligo, has sued the businessman, who has a London address and is a director of Joseph Murphy Structural Engineering Ltd (JMSE), over alleged comments by Mr Murphy in Flynn's pub in Arigna, Co Roscommon.
Mr McManus claims the alleged remarks were made on June 23rd, 2001, to his brother Eoin McManus and meant that Michael McManus had committed arson. He alleges the comments related to a fire at a quarry at Arigna on August 15th, 2000, and the burning of two excavator machines.
It is claimed that Mr Murphy was referring to alleged arson when he allegedly said to Eoin McManus: "Well, we know it was Michael did it." It is also alleged that Mr Murphy later phoned Mr McManus in relation to the alleged remarks some weeks afterwards and had said he would be the first to admit "where he was wrong" and had also said it was "the drink talking" that night.
Mr Murphy has denied the claims.
In closing submissions yesterday for Mr Murphy, Hugh Mohan SC said that, apart from one witness, no one else had given supporting testimony to Mr McManus's case.
Eoin McManus, his wife Martina and the plaintiff Michael McManus were arrested in connection with the burning of the two excavators and "by God, they were annoyed with that", Mr Mohan said.
This case, he argued, was about "payback time" and "a poor attempt at bad blackmail" but Mr Murphy had said No to that blackmail.
Michael McManus wanted to get "a big lump of money" from Mr Murphy, Mr Mohan said.
Closing the case for Mr McManus, Éanna Mulloy SC said there would have been no telephone call from Mr Murphy to Michael McManus unless he was conscious that he had had a tongue which was "regretfully too loose" and that serious allegations had been unleashed.
Mr Justice Éamon de Valera will give his charge to the jury this morning and a verdict is expected later today.