EXCLUSIVE | 

Debt collection boss Martin Foley’s ‘threat to kill’ case delayed yet again

Debt collector in court with his wife to hear judge put back his trial again

Yesterday at 10:00

The founder of a well-known debt collection agency has had his trial on a charge of making a threat to kill delayed again — more than two years after it was originally sent forward for trial.

The case against Martin Foley, with an address in Crumlin, Dublin, was originally sent forward for trial in January 2021.

Foley appeared before Judge James McCourt at Wexford Circuit Court last Tuesday where his case —which is expected to take between three and five days to hear — had been listed for trial.

But, as had been the case on a number of previous occasions, the court was told the matter was not ready to proceed.

Foley (68) stands accused that on June 17, 2020, at Holly Walk, Cromwellsfort Grove, Wexford, he threatened to kill or cause serious harm to Nigel Doonan.

The charge is contrary to section 5 of the Non-fatal Offences Act 1997.

Foley is contesting the charge.

During last Tuesday’s call-over of the list, legal counsel for Foley said her client was present in court but, she understood, the matter was not ready to proceed as there was issue relating to outstanding disclosure of evidence.

She said she had inquired earlier on Tuesday when disclosure of the evidence sought would become available and had been informed by the prosecution they had “no firm date as of yet.”

Prosecution counsel said the defence’s submission was that they had requested disclosure of the evidence sought in September 2021.

She said it was her understanding that the prosecution had not received the letter in question.

However, she said the issue had been raised again in the past couple of weeks.

Judge McCourt told the prosecutor the trial had been ‘around a few times now’ — but said, in the circumstances, he would adjourn it again for mention on June 7. He excused Foley, who was present in court with his wife Sonia, from attending on that date.

Mr Foley is the founder of a well-known debt collection agency in the capital.

He set up the company on November 18, 2004, at which time his profession was described in company documents as a ‘sale rep.’

The company identified its purpose as ‘the provision of debt recovery and repossession services and to carry out all activities in relation to the aforementioned business.’

Mr Foley resigned as a director of the company on November 17, 2014. Mr Foley’s wife Sonia, who was appointed as a director of the company in October 2008, retains this position.