Skipper’s wife ‘borrowed €200k while he was at sea’
A FISHERMAN who says his wife ‘went off to the bank’ and borrowed €200,000 without his consent ‘ought to be believed’, his lawyers have urged the High Court.
Attracta Murray, 57, Killybegs Co. Donegal, secured a series of propertyrelated loans from Bank of Ireland in the name of her skipper husband, Brian Murray, during periods when he was ‘out at sea’ between 2003 and 2007 – and this has left the couple at ‘real risk’ of losing their home, the court heard.
The skipper told the court on Friday, his wife had at least once ‘admitted and confirmed to me she forged my signature’. The bank is demanding repayment of €194,000 from the couple in the case which began in 2013.
In closing speeches on Friday, Brian McGuckian BL, for the bank, said, wryly: ‘Any document that appears to bear Mr Murray’s signature, he says it isn’t his signature.’ But Gary McCarthy SC, for Mr Murray, 58, argued that his client’s ‘story has been consistent from day one’.
He also accused the bank of having taken an ‘extraordinarily lax’ approach in its dealings with the couple.
The bank should have ‘taken the normal steps… and not taken any shortcuts’ to ensure that Mr Murray’s interest in the family home would be protected, Mr McCarthy argued.
Mr Murray, who remains married to Mrs Murray, is also counter-suing the bank for compensation of about €200,000 over the distress and ‘psychological trauma’ caused to him, the court heard. Judge Marie Baker told Mr Murray’s lawyers: ‘It would be a very important judgment if you won.’