Businessman Jim Mansfield Jnr "effectively delivered" a longtime employee, who is now in the Witness Protection Programme, into the arms of a group of men who falsely imprisoned him and his family, the non-jury Special Criminal Court has heard.
Mr Mansfield, 53, of Tasaggart House, Garters Lane, Saggart, Co Dublin, is charged with conspiracy to commit false imprisonment and with attempting to pervert the course of justice five years ago.
He is charged with conspiring with one or more persons to falsely imprison Martin Byrne on a date unknown between 1 January 2015 and 30 June 2015, both dates inclusive.
He is also charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Patrick Byrne to destroy recorded CCTV footage, with the alleged intention of perverting the course of public justice in relation to the false imprisonment of Martin Byrne at Finnstown House Hotel, Newcastle Road, Lucan, Co Dublin, between 9 June 2015 and 12 June 2015.
Mr Mansfield Jnr has pleaded not guilty to both counts on the indictment.
Opening the State's case, Shane Costelloe SC told the court that the State alleges that Martin Byrne, his wife and their son were falsely imprisoned by a group of men on 9 June 2015.
Mr Costelloe said Martin Byrne worked primarily in the role of a security expert for Mr Mansfield Jnr and was allowed live with his family at converted stables at the back of Tasaggart House, which is also referred to as The Towers.
"He had been employed by the Mansfield family under the guise of one of their businesses for over a decade prior to this event," Mr Costelloe said.
Mr Costelloe said the Mansfield Group got into some financial difficulties around the time of the last recession in 2011 and a number of properties held by the group were in or going into receivership.
He said that Martin Byrne continued to work for the receiver Martin Ferris, Mr Mansfield Jnr and other members of the Mansfield family.
"There were ongoing efforts by the children of Mr Mansfield Snr to get back some of these assets that had gone into receivership in previous years," said Mr Costelloe.
Mr Costelloe said a disagreement developed between the Mansfield family and another man and Martin Byrne was asked to assist Mr Mansfield Jnr to try and resolve the dispute and try to gain control of the properties this other man had.
He said the court will hear evidence that Martin Byrne attended a meeting in May 2015 at the request of the accused, where he met Dessie O'Hare and Declan Duffy.
"In the witness's own words, that was an aborted meeting and it ended very quickly as the accused and Martin Byrne left," Mr Costelloe said.
He indicated to the judges that Martin Byrne was contacted on a number of occasions by Mr Mansfield Jnr in June 2015, asking him to attend another meeting so that issues could be resolved but this time was told that only Dessie O'Hare would be there.
Counsel said the court will hear that Martin Byrne will say that he was reluctant to attend but he went anyway.
He said Martin Byrne went to the home of Mr Mansfield on 9 June and met with the accused. They both then travelled to a warehouse at Keatings Park where Martin Byrne was confronted by O'Hare and Duffy.
It is alleged that one of the two men turned to Mr Mansfield Jnr at one point and said "your work here is done" and the accused then left the room, said counsel.
Mr Costelloe said that Martin Byrne will give evidence that there were was a "heated conversation" between himself, O'Hare and Duffy where he was told he must immediately leave his residence at the Towers.
Martin Byrne told them that he was willing to leave if he could be given 24 hours but he was then "set upon" by another five men who were "lying in wait" for him downstairs, said Mr Costelloe, and he was put into the back of a car and driven to the Towers.
The court heard that CCTV footage from Finnstown House will show what had transpired at The Towers and that a garda was happened to be in the area.
Martin Byrne was told to go out and get rid of the garda but instead told them what was going on, said Mr Costelloe.
Some of the men who had abducted Martin Byrne fled the scene and others were arrested.
The barrister said that the second count against Mr Mansfield alleges that he and another person approached Patrick Byrne, the brother of Martin Byrne, who was responsible for maintaining the CCTV footage.
Mr Costelloe said that Patrick Byrne will say that Mr Mansfield Jnr told him to destroy the hard drive where the footage was stored, but he "surreptitiously removed it and replaced it with a different unit".
