O’Brien dossier ‘clouded in mystery’

A consulting company has told the High Court that billionaire businessman Denis O’Brien has left “clouded in mystery” exactly how material from the firm’s computer files ended up on a USB stick placed in an envelope sent anonymously to Mr O’Brien.

Michael Collins, for Dublin-based Red Flag Consulting Ltd, said it was of “extraordinary concern” to the firm how its computers were accessed, material extracted from them, and how a dossier of that material ended up on Mr O’Brien’s desk.

It was not known whether its computers were hacked or if someone had passed on the information, he said. Mr O’Brien had hired a private investigator to look into his claims of an alleged conspiracy to damage him and it was not clear if the dossier was provided as a result of that investigation or by other means, counsel added.