Lap dancing club manager ran away from CIRA

A Dublin businessman told the Special Criminal Court today that he ran away from his lap dancing club in Temple Bar because of threats from the Continuity IRA.

Mr David Mooney, who is now in the Witness Protection Programme, denied a suggestion by defence counsel Mr Niall Durnin SC that he was asked to leave ``Bunnies'' lap dancing club because of his behaviour.

"No, I ran away from the Continuity IRA, that's why I walked away,'' he said.

Mr Mooney has told the court that he paid the two accused, Martin Kelly and Billy Clare, €15,000 when his club ``Bunnies'' opened in Crown Alley in May last year after they demanded money for the Continuity IRA.

Mr Mooney identified the two men in court as Martin Kelly and William Clare, the two accused.

Martin Kelly (aged 46), a former Irish soldier, of Westpark, Artane and William Clare (aged 35), of Adare Park, Coolock have denied membership of an illegal organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA on July 29, 2002.

Asked by counsel for Clare, Mr Durnin, if he was `` paranoid'' about threats made against him, Mr Mooney replied: ``You become a little paranoid when you are dealing with Billy Clare and Martin Kelly. I am in Witness Protection. It's not a holiday camp and Billy Clare and Martin Kelly are the cause of that.''

Mr Mooney said that he is paid €150 a week in the Witness Protection Programme and he agreed that the total money spent on him since going into the programme is €30,725.

Mr Pat Byrne told the court that he is a director of Protocol Contract Services which he set up about twelve years ago.

Mr Byrne said that he knew Martin Kelly and Billy Clare. He said that he asked Martin Kelly to come to a meeting with David Mooney because Mr Mooney had called him and said that he was getting serious threats from another man.

Mr Byrne admitted making a statement to the gardaí at the Great Southern Hotel at Dublin airport on August 4 last year after returning from a foreign holiday but he said that parts of the statement did not reflect what he had said.

His entire statement was then read to him by prosecuting counsel Mr George Birmingham SC. Mr Byrne denied making any reference to the gardaí to the IRA or the Continuity IRA. ``I had nothing got to do with the IRA, never have and never will,'' he said.

Mr Byrne at one stage told the court:``I am fed up with it. I just want to get on with my life. Everything I said is being taken out of context.''

Mr Byrne said he made the statement when he came back from holidays. ``I was under a lot of duress. I was told that if I didn't co-operate I would end up in Portlaoise.''

He added:``I was a very tired man that evening. I could have said anything. I have never been involved with the IRA, never have been and never will.''

Mr Byrne denied that he was afraid of anyone and said on a number of occasions looking at the dock :``I am not afraid of those two.''

He said that his company provides security for over 60 premises in Dublin and he does not look for trouble. ``If that balloon head Mooney wasn't in charge of that club this would never have come to this. He's turned peoples lives upside down. He was the biggest issue in the club. I had no problems with the IRA. I had no dealings with them.''

The trial continues on Tuesday.