Month: May 2009

Accused of causing grievous bodily harm to Conor O’Dwyer, property developer Christoforos Karayiannas and others appeared in the Famagusta District Court yesterday

THE ASSAULT case involving a Cyprus property developer and Conor O’Dwyer finally got underway at the Famagusta District Court yesterday, with judge Evi Antoniou presiding.

The case concerns an alleged attack on Mr O’Dwyer by a local property developer, Christoforos Karayiannas, his son Marios and a third unnamed man causing him grievous bodily harm. The alleged incident took place more than a year ago in the village of Frenaros near Ayia Napa and resulted in Mr O’Dwyer being hospitalised for six days.

Earlier proceedings were postponed after defence lawyers expressed concerns that it was being secretly tape-recorded. And when the case restarted on April 30th, it was postponed yet again when one of the defendants failed to appear.

Yesterday, the court heard Conor O’Dwyer describe details of his alleged beating and the Police presented several items of blood stained clothing O’Dwyer was wearing during the alleged assault.

The dispute that led to the alleged assault centres on the cancellation of Mr O’Dwyer’s contract by the property developers some half way through payment, even though the house that he and his wife had bought in Frenaros was already registered in his name at the Land Registry.

O’Dwyer had complained because he said the developers were not keeping to the original plans he was paying for. They then cancelled the contact accusing him of not paying the next instalment. The developers then sold the house to someone else, telling O’Dwyer they were keeping his £75,000 sterling for damages.

Countering Mr O’Dwyer claims, a statement from the developers alleged that O’Dwyer had masterminded a plan to extort a newer more expensive property and exorbitant damages from the company.

“After the cancellation of the contract, Mr. O’Dwyer set his plan in motion seeking for his revenge. A revenge originating from the fact that the value of the house he would have bought increased due to the current value housing boom.”

Mr O’Dwyer has published details of his dispute on a website at www.lyingbuilder.com and last year spent 74 nights camping outside the Cyprus High Commission in London in his quest for justice.

The court case against the three accused continues tomorrow.

By: Nigel Howarth Published: Thursday 7th May 2009
To see comments from British expats read this article in the Cyprus Property News
Copyright © Cyprus Property News

THE HIGH profile Conor O’Dwyer assault case finally got underway at Famagusta District Court yesterday.

The case revolves around claims that a local property developer, his son and another man caused grievous bodily harm to O’Dwyer following an incident outside a disputed house on January 13 last year.

O’Dwyer, 39, took the stand and vividly described details of his alleged beating in the village of Freneros.

Police also presented several items of blood stained clothing O’Dwyer was wearing during the alleged assault.

Speaking after proceedings, O’Dwyers lawyer Yiannos Georgiades said it had been “a good day for Conor”.

Judge Evi Antoniou asked for time to consider a request from O’Dwyers legal team to submit evidence recorded on a DVD disc.

O’Dwyer, who had flown to Cyprus to be present at yesterday, spent a week in Larnaca hospital after the alleged attack in January 2008.

O’Dwyer claims he purchased a property in 2005 that was then was resold without his knowledge by the developers, resulting in him losing the house and £100,000 he had paid for the property.

In a rare public statement last year, the developers accused O’Dwyer of allegedly masterminding a plan to extort a newer, more expensive property, and exorbitant damages from the company.

The company also added that they had “failed to adhere to his blackmail requests“.

The case is unusual as every twist and turn in the saga has been published online on his website www.lyingbuilder.com, which has recorded tens of thousands of hits over the past year.

Last year O’Dwyer began protesting about his plight outside the Cyprus High Commission, spending 74 nights sleeping in a tiny tent on the streets of London.

The case will continue on Friday.

By Nathan Morley Published on May 7, 2009
Cyprus Mail