Irvine accused of trying to blackmail ex-financial adviser

A FORMER financial adviser of Eddie Irvine yesterday accused the Formula One racing driver of trying to blackmail him in an attempt to gain control of a US company in which they were both investors.

English-based accountant Charles Watchman told a hearing of the Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT) in Dublin that the former Grand Prix star had delivered “a blackmail threat” to him by text in August.

Mr Watchman said the blackmail attempt which related to his personal life was used by Mr Irvine to get him to agree to put their company, Presteligence, into receivership, rather than invest more money in the project.