It's the eighth day of the Julie Corkill trial, and building contractor Colin Moore will return to the witness box when the proceedings resume later this morning.

He will be questioned by defence advocate Dawn Jones on points raised during yesterday afternoon’s sitting, and other matters.

High Bailiff Michael Moyle is then expected to adjourn the case for about two months.

Graham Bell has this extended report:

(Text of attached audio)
The adjournment is necessary following the acute heart attack suffered by Mr Moore’s former business partner, Will Kelly, after he gave evidence on Tuesday.

Yesterday, Mr Moore said that, when he was on the site, he saw a lot more of Mrs Corkill than her husband.

He said he had the impression Mrs Corkill would issue her own instructions to workers.

This was based on the fact that sometimes he would show up on site and find the men not doing the jobs he had delegated to them earlier in the day.

He claimed this led to many conflicts between himself and Mrs Corkill.

Mr Moore admitted in court that his relationship with Mr Kelly broke down towards the end of the second phase of the Ballacain work, which led to the dissolution of their partnership at the begining of August 2003.

Despite the breakdown he claimed he was still prepared to sort out outstanding matters for the firm, which led to him visiting the Corkill's home to discuss money allegedly owed to GC Construction.

According to Mr Moore's evidence this led to him becoming the second builder involved in the work to claim Mrs Corkill suggested she would use her position, as wife of the then chief minister, to prevent him getting any more government contracts.

Joseph Hawthorn made a similar allegation when he gave evidence last week.

According to Mr Moore, Mrs Corkill said that if he pursued legal action over the money allegedly owed she would get her husband to instruct his ministers to strike GC Construction off the list of government approved contractors.

Mr Moore said he told her that was blackmail and he would take legal action himself.

Again, according to Mr Moore, Mrs Corkill said “go ahead, our pockets are deeper than yours”.

He claimed Mrs Corkill then said she would call the police, if he didn’t leave the property.

Mrs Corkill (pictured) denies four charges of false accounting and two of obtaining money by deception, in relation to grants she received for building work on the holiday cottages at her Onchan home, at Ballacain.