Gilmartin claims developer ‘held him to ransom’

RETIRED developer Tom Gilmartin claims he was “held to ransom” by Cork businessman Owen O’Callaghan and AIB.

Mr Gilmartin yesterday said, both the developer and the bank tried to blackmail him into relinquishing control of his project to develop a multi-million pound shopping centre at Quarryvale in west Dublin in the early 90s.

Mr O’Callaghan’s barrister, Paul Sreenan, said Mr Gilmartin’s allegations were merely a version of describing how the Sligo-born developer was asked to pay money to Mr O’Callaghan, as outlined in an agreement between the two parties.