Bankrupt developer Tom McFeely dodges prison term

Bankrupt developer Tom McFeely has dodged a three-month jail term after he resolved a €24,000 debt dispute.

An action to jail the former IRA hunger striker, who built the notorious Priory Hall apartment complex in Donaghmede in Dublin, reached a conclusion yesterday, days before he was expected to be quizzed over an alleged Isle of Man “money trail”.

The case at Dublin District Court had stemmed from the rogue builder’s 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 and which could result in a three-month prison sentence being imposed.

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.

Mr McFeely was not present for the brief hearing, in which Judge Collins agreed to strike out the case, bringing it to a conclusion.