Nightclub owner disappointed at €1.9m payout

Donegal nightclub owner, Frank Shortt, who was jailed for a wrongful drugs conviction today said he was disappointed with a €1.9m compensation award.

Mr Shortt, 69, from Redcastle, Co Donegal, spent 27 months in prison after being convicted in 1995 of knowingly allowing drugs to be sold in his nightclub.

But the Court of Criminal Appeal overturned the conviction and declared Mr Shortt had been a victim of a miscarriage of justice.

The father-of-five has said he was effectively bankrupt after his jail sentence and had no income or business to rely on.

The president of the High Court Joseph Finnegan made a payment totalling €1,923,871 to Mr Shortt.

Speaking after the judgement Mr Shortt said: “Sally (his wife) and I are very disappointed with the judgement and that’s all we’re prepared to say at this time.”

Kathryn Ward, solicitor for the family, said they would be looking at the judgement handed down today and would be considering an appeal.

“Judge Finnegan has delivered a long and detailed judgement which describes the trauma and damage caused to Frank Shortt as a result of his miscarriage of justice.

“Frank’s life has been devastated and he is still trying to come to terms with what has happened to him.

“We’re going to take time to consider this judgement.

“Frank is disappointed at the level of the award particularly in light of everything he has gone through,” she said.

She said Mr Shortt had never received an offer to settle out of court in the case and this was the first case of its kind in Ireland.