Fake emails claim in K Club case
A FORMER K Club manager, who alleges he was threatened by a greenkeeper over claims he made about call girls, has been accused of setting up a fake email address pretending to be Michael Smurfit in a bid to force a false confession.
Peter Curran denied the claim, made by counsel for the resort’s greenkeeper and its tycoon owner. He is in the middle of a High Court action against greenkeeper Gerry Byrne, Dr Michael Smurfit and the K Club Ltd, of Straffan, Co. Kildare, seeking damages for emotional pain and suffering.
He claims he was threatened, in May 2011 at Punchestown Races, over concerns he aired previously about how the resort was run, including allegations apartments were rented to call girls. Mr Byrne is alleged to have told Mr Curran: ‘Dr Smurfit has not forgotten the statements about him and the call girls. Dr Smurfit knows where to find you and this is not over.’
Mr Curran’s claims are denied by all three defendants. Yesterday, Shane Murphy SC, for Dr Smurfit, said Mr Curran sent five emails to Mr Byrne in April 2015, purporting to be from his client, using a bogus email address.
These emails said Dr Smurfit wanted Mr Byrne to sign a statement, confirming he had delivered a message on the instructions of Michael Smurfit, the court heard.
Mr Byrne was asked to state he wished the matter to be settled, and to claim he was ‘only following instructions’, it was also heard.
The court heard that a subsequent email confirmed Dr Smurfit wanted to bring matters to a close, that it was an insurance issue and that the K Club company could not afford the legal costs.
But the court heard Mr Byrne questioned the validity of the emails with the K Club and was assured they had come from a fake address. Mr Murphy said Eircom confirmed the emails were sent from Mr Curran’s IP address at his home in Cahersiveen, Co. Kerry.
Mr Curran denied any involvement and said: ‘Whoever did this, it was a sting operation meant to undermine me and my legal team. I did not send those emails.’
He said the emails were sent on a weekend he reported his iPad stolen. It was returned the next Monday, he said. The case continues before Judge Anthony Barr.