Developer says his name is clear

Peter Curistan said the claims had affect his business and private life

Allegations of money laundering made under parliamentary privilege have damaged a leading developer's business and private life, the man has claimed.

Peter Curistan was the subject of claims made by DUP MP Peter Robinson in Parliament in February last year.

Mr Robinson had accused Mr Curistan of being linked to "IRA dirty money".

However, Mr Curistan said on BBC's Talkback that he had been told by police nine months ago that he was not under investigation of any kind.

"The personal issue has been the most horrifying. I had never any association with what he would call IRA dirty money, or Sinn Fein or any of those parties, any political party in fact," he said.

"My reputation has been brought into a major smear campaign which has been followed up by the newspapers and we have currently issued proceedings against them.

"This was under parliamentary privilege where I have no right of appeal at all.

"Nine months ago we wrote to a number of organisations including the PSNI and stated our case to them."

Mr Curistan, who is chairman of the Sheridan Group, said the police had replied that neither he nor his company were under investigation.

The businessman, who was involved in developing the Belfast Odyssey complex, was asked if the issue had affected his plans to develop the surrounding area.

Peter Robinson used parliamentary privilege to make claims

"We were selected as the preferred developer for the whole area, for three major sites just in front of the Odyssey," he said.

"We were told at the time we had by far the best scheme and that we were very successful because of our deliverability having delivered the Odyssey and other things.

"We found a sudden cooling this time last year and clearly it's going to be a part of a legal case coming up. The end result was that our preferred developer status was withdrawn."

He said the allegations had a "major effect" on his company's business in several respects.

"I can even see it in the number of Christmas cards I get," he said.

"I find it incredible that an innocent man has to prove he is innocent rather than being proven guilty."

Mr Robinson last year in Parliament, called on Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain "to ensure the activities of the Sheridan group and its association with the IRA's dirty money are fully investigated".

He also asked Mr Hain to "guarantee that no further public money is channelled in their direction until if ever, they get a clean bill of health".