A relative of some of the Mannok directors who claimed to have paid for damage caused to a door of his property by the older brother of Bernard McGovern, is facing perjury and false representation charges.
Previously, Patrick McGovern from Springdale Road in Kinawley admitted damaging the door belonging to Gareth Lunney, nephew of one the Mannok directors, as well as assaulting him on March 19 2021, however he denied threatening to kill him.
The offences occurred on the day Bernard McGovern was jailed for attacking Mannok directors Kevin Lunney and Dara O'Reilly in 2019. During a contested hearing at Enniskillen Magistrates Court, Patrick McGovern accepted being extremely upset by the extent of the sentence handed down to his younger brother and had gone to Lunney's home and damaged the door.
However, issues arose over Lunney's evidence when it emerged he had misled the court on how the damage was caused, and the cost of repairs. Court papers now show 36-year-old Lunney from Market Square, Derrylin is accused of wilfully making statements he knew to be false, namely that he paid for repairs on the 14th of March 2022.
It is further alleged he dishonestly made a false representation to make a gain for himself and a loss to Patrick McGovern. During the court hearing it was claimed Lunney told a repairs contractor in Belcoo that a forklift had driven into the door, and he needed an invoice to present to insurers.
The contractor provided a quote for repairs which Lunney advised the court had been carried out and paid for at a cost of £500. He produced a document to this effect which was challenged by McGovern's defence who put it to Lunney he was lying under oath.
It then transpired a witness statement provided by the contractor and corroborated by police, detailed how Lunney contacted him on March the 23rd, 2021 asking him to attend to the repairs.
When the contractor didn't have time, Lunney requested a blank invoice, but this was refused. During a robust cross-examination Lunney eventually accepted the repairs were never carried out and the £500 invoice was fraudulent. The cost of repairs was actually £98.
Meanwhile, giving evidence on his own behalf, McGovern accepted being upset on the day in question because of his brother's sentencing and fully admitted going to the premises and damaging the door.
He further accepted assaulting Lunney and his father Peter who arrived at the scene in his car, however, was adamant he had not threatened to kill either of them. The threat charges were dismissed and for the combined criminal damage and assault charges, McGovern was fined a total of £500 along with £98 compensation for the door repairs.
A PSNI spokesperson later advised while no arrest was made at court: "A man was cautioned on suspicion of perjury". Mr Lunney is due to appear at Enniskillen Magistrates Court next month, however, it is unclear if this will proceed on the date in question.
