A US lawyer has told the High Court that a sum of €169,000 which he admits he owes to a businessman will be paid by Friday.

Lawrence Daniel O’Neill had undertaken just before Christmas to have the money in Adriano Fusco’s solicitor’s account by December 22nd but the court was told on Wednesday it had not been paid.

Mr O’Neill, who lives with his family in Gilford Road, Sandymount, Dublin, owes the money to Mr Fusco, of Johnstown, Co Kildare, arising out of a transaction in which Mr O’Neill was holding a larger sum from a business deal in which Mr Fusco had been involved.

Mr Fusco obtained an injunction requiring him to immediately repay the outstanding €169,000.

When that did not happen, Mr Fusco sought Mr O’Neill’s attachment and committal to prison for contempt of court.

Just before Christmas, Mr O'Neill told the court he had arranged a loan for the money with JP Morgan Chase Bank in New York. He had the signed documents for the loan transferred to the US by air courier.

The loan was secured on the assets of his New York lawyer’s practice and on an apartment he owns in that city, he said.

Adjourned

The case was adjourned to Wednesday, when William Maher, for Mr Fusco, said the money had still not been paid.

However, Mr Fusco’s solicitor had on Tuesday night received a wire transfer authorisation, it seemed the money was en route and the case could be therefore put back to Friday, Mr Maher said.

Mr O’Neill, who has been representing himself, said the delay in completing the transaction was due to some of the documents not having been signed. That had been rectified and JP Morgan had confirmed the money was available, he said.

Mr O’Neill said he had been ill with a severe case of bronchitis and asked he be excused on Friday if the money was paid over.

Mr Justice Tony O’Connor said Mr O’Neill would require somebody to represent him on Friday because the court would have to give directions as to the conclusion of the process if the money was paid.

The judge adjourned the case to Friday.