Monaghan meat trader sues for defamation

A Monaghan meat trader claims his business was brought to its knees by false and malicious allegations made during the horsemeat scandal last year.

Martin McAdam of McAdam Food Products Ltd in Ballybay is suing ABP, a formerly part of the Goodman Group, for defamation over a press release the company released at the height of the controversy, reports The Irish Examiner.

Horsemeat was found in frozen beef burgers from the Silvercrest meat processing factory in summer of last year.

Silvercrest was owned by the ABP group at the time, which issued a press release stating that it had purchased beef products from McAdams Food Service.

The High Court heard Martin McAdam and his company are claiming that this widely reported statement defamed him and his business by implying McAdams was the primary cause of the horsemeat scandal in Ireland.

ABP denies defamation.

In an application that will resume today ABP is asking the court to halt proceedings over claims the meat trader can't afford to pay the legal costs if his side loses.