A property advisor has backed-up an allegation by Tom Gilmartin that Liam Lawlor sabotaged his development plans by telling British investors that Quarryvale was in bandit country.
UK adviser Richard Forman also told the Mahon Tribunal only AIB knew of the investors' meeting and that the bank was involved in a 'most irregular' attempt to bring in a rival developer to Quarryvale.
Mr Forman said Tom Gilmartin was close to signing an agreement with the British company Heron in 1990 as a development partner.
But Liam Lawlor arrived uninvited to a lunch following a site visit and made remarks to the British businessmen about 'mad dogs' and 'bandit country'.
Mr Forman said Mr Lawlor had sown the seeds of doubt and undid all the work in persuading the investors about the stability of the Irish property market. They pulled out afterwards.
Mr Forman added that the lunch was not pre-booked and only AIB knew about it.
He said AIB was trying to get Mr Gilmartin to hand over the Quarryvale project to developer Owen O'Callaghan.
He said the bank had an aggressive attitude and was arranging meetings at a moments notice with the sole purpose of abusing Mr Gilmartin.
Mr Forman admitted the bank was owed nearly £9m by Mr Gimartin but he said it could have recovered its money by forcing the sale of the land.
He said the fact the bank did not do that showed it believed Quarryvale would succeed.
