A Co Tipperary farmer living alone in an isolated area has been threatened and intimidated into handing over €83,000 over the last number of years, the High Court has been told.

James Richard Hodgins, whose farm is near Roscrea, secured temporary injunctions restraining 17 individuals coming near him or his farm.

Mr Hodgins, aged in his 40s, alleges the defendants have left him in fear of his own safety and that of his property.

At the High Court on Friday, Mr Justice Paul Gilligan said the allegations were so serious he was directing the officer in charge at Roscrea Garda station be put on notice of the case. The judge granted interim injunctions preventing the defendants or their agents coming within 500m of Mr Hodgins or his property.

The court also made orders preventing the defendants intimidating Mr Hodgins or watching and besetting his property.

The orders, sought by Desmond Murphy SC, for Mr Hodgins, were granted ex-parte (one side only represented) and returned to next month.

The judge was told the defendants’ addresses are unknown but they are currently living in Ireland. They are to be contacted via mobile phone numbers.

Seeking the injunction, Mr Murphy said his client has lived alone since his father died a few years ago and was approached in 2013 by the defendants, who all know each other, offering to do work on the farm.

Mr Hodgins believed they did that knowing he was on his own and, while he did not want to give them work, he found it hard to refuse them.

The works were often either not done at all or were substandard, he said. CCTV cameras were installed which did not work and a shed was painted with cheap and unsuitable paint.

Counsel said Mr Hodgins felt intimidated into paying them. After a while, their offers of work stopped and the defendants began demanding handouts and loans.

Mr Hodgins felt intimidated and could not refuse them, counsel said. They would call to his house and make repeated phone calls to him. Mr Hodgins wrote them cheques totalling €102,000, of which €83,000 was cashed.

Shortly before Christmas, Mr Hodgins was approached by a man who threatened him with harm unless he wrote him a cheque for €17,000.

Mr Hodgins wrote the cheque over concerns the defendants would not leave him alone or injure him and his property, counsel said.

Bank officials in Roscrea became suspicious of the transactions and, after Mr Hodgins explained what was happening, the cheque was cancelled.

Mr Hodgins was advised by the bank to contact his solicitor who texted the defendants to stay away and not contact Mr Hodgins who also went to the Garda.

Counsel said contact stopped for a time but the defendants had in recent weeks the returned to Mr Hodgins’ property again. They would drive a white van up to the house and hang around, ringing the doorbell and sounding the horn.

Mr Hodgins locked the doors and remained inside till they left.

Mr Hodgins needs orders to prevent the defendants and others returning and intimidating him, counsel said. While it was intended to seek return of the money handed over, the more immediate concern was to get orders to protect Mr Hodgins.