Rogue builder Mcfeely avoids three months’ jail over debt

BANKRUPT developer Tom McFeely has avoided a three-month jail sentence in relation to €24,000 he owed to a recruitment firm.

The court struck the case out after hearing that the rogue builder, who built the notorious Priory Hall apartment, had resolved the debt row days before he was set to be quizzed over an Isle of Man alleged ‘money trail’.

An action to jail the former IRA hunger striker reached a conclusion yesterday.

The case at Dublin District Court had stemmed from his failure to pay a €24,288 bill for services obtained from MCR Personnel Ltd, which specialises in recruiting for construction firms.

In an effort to compel him to pay up, he had been brought to court for failing to comply with an instalment order made earlier, which can result in a three-month prison sentence.

His case had been before the district court on several dates for about two years and had been set to resume next Tuesday when it was expected that he would be grilled again about his finances by lawyers for MCR.

However, yesterday at Dublin District Court, solicitor Peter Dempsey, for MCR, told Judge Mary Collins that his client was dropping the action.

‘The matter had been resolved between the parties and it would not be troubling the court and could be struck out,’ he said.

McFeely was not present for the brief hearing, in which Judge Collins agreed to strike out the case.

At a previous stage the builder had complained that he was the victim of a ‘media circus’.