McBrearty Sr refuses to comment as AIB secures €250,000 judgment
FORMER publican Frank McBrearty Sr has refused to comment on a €250,000 judgment that has been made against him on behalf of AIB.
Mr McBrearty – who won a record payout of €2.5m after being the victim of a sustained campaign of Garda harassment following the death of Donegal man Richie Barron – also declined to say why the bank made the move against him.
Three years ago, Mr McBrearty’s son, Frank Jr, successfully sued AIB in a Belfast court for giving him bad investment advice on €750,000 of compensation money he received from the State. AIB launched a lawsuit against Mr McBrearty Sr and his wife Rosalind last year over €250,000, which is also believed to be related to his settlement from the State.
The Irish Mail on Sunday has learned that the judgment was granted last July. This week, Mr Brearty said he did not wish to discuss the matter.
‘I’m waiting to hear from my lawyer about it. I’m retired now and me and my family have peace at last. I don’t want to be bothering with this,’ he said.
‘We’ve had 12 years of hell, we just want to be left alone now. Don’t be phoning me, I don’t care what judgment they’ve made against me.
‘We’re retired now – we’re gone,’ he added.
The publican received his multimillion euro award from the High Court for damages suffered by his business as a result of Garda harassment following the death of Richie Barron.
The treatment of Mr McBrearty and his son Frank Jr was investigated by the Morris Tribunal, which found that the father and son had been framed as murder suspects.
Mr McBrearty Jr settled with the State for €1.5m.
In 2012, he took AIB to court in Northern Ireland over an investment made at the bank with half of the funds from his compensation.
A High Court in Belfast found that AIB and its investment arm engaged in ‘negligent misrepresentation’ of the terms of an investment product sold to him .
AIB refused to comment this week.