Belfast-born developer Paddy McKillen has told the High Court in London that he sought the help of former British prime minister Tony Blair in his battle for control of three top London hotels.
Mr McKillen alleges the Barclay brothers improperly blocked him from purchasing shares from financier Derek Quinlan which would have given him control of Claridges, The Connaught and the Berkeley in London.
Under cross-examination Mr McKillen said he had sought the advice of Tony Blair Associates in relation to the hotel group and its relationship with NAMA.
He said he first met Mr Blair at the World Economic Forum at Davos six years ago, and had then met him on three further occasions.
However he said he had not spoken to or communicated with Tony Blair since early 2011, although there had been subsequent contacts with members of Mr Blair's office.
Mr McKillen said that Tony Blair had initiated a meeting in February this year with Sheikh Yassim, a member of Qatar's ruling family, with a view to investing in the hotel group.
Mr McKillen described Mr Blair's office as honest brokers in his efforts to raise funds in his battle for control of the hotel group.
Messages deleted from mobile phone
Paddy McKillen said he had inadvertently deleted messages from his mobile phone despite a court order for disclosure of all documents and texts relating to the case.
He said that during negotiations with Qatari investors in his battle for control of the hotel group he had exclusively used his Irish mobile phone. However he said he had got a UK mobile because he was worried the Barclay brothers might have hacked his phone. He told the court he also had French and Vietnamese mobiles.
Counsel for a number of companies owned by the Barclay brothers, Kenneth MacLean QC, said Mr McKillen had no evidence of hacking and called the claims "entirely baseless".
Paddy McKillen agreed he had no evidence but that he had been very concerned. He said "these people were putting detectives on me and following me into restaurants."
