Adjournment On Turkey Holiday Villa Case

A judge has adjourned a private court case into an alleged Turkish holiday home 'scam' for a week as he thinks the civil action might have to be held until possible criminal proceedings are settled.

The Belfast High Court judge told lawyers for the defendant, Kevin O'Kane, 48, of Bellaghy, they should consider it inappropriate to proceed with the case before any possible criminal proceedings have been dealt with.

The Northern Ireland businessman, who stands accused of running a property scam in Turkey, was said to have returned home allegedly as "a fugitive from justice", the High Court was told earlier.

The claim was made by a lawyer for the investors who are taking civil action against Mr O'Kane. He is being sued by up to 70 investors, but denies wrongdoing in an alleged scam involving more than £2.5m in bogus property on the Aegean coast.

Mr O'Kane claims he was the victim of a rogue Turkish property developer.

He was originally banned from leaving Turkey while the case was investigated.

However, earlier this month, it emerged that he had returned to Northern Ireland because he said he was ill and had received threats to his life.

When it emerged that the businessman's legal representatives had not had a chance to speak to him "because police wanted to interview him", the judge suggested a halt in proceedings until it is confirmed if there will be criminal proceedings.

(BMcC)