Judge says O'Donnell case getting 'curiouser'

A HIGH Court judge has described as “curiouser and curiouser” a number of developments in proceedings about ownership of the contents of the luxury family home of solicitor Brian O’Donnell and another luxury property in London.

Mr Justice Peter Kelly also said yesterday he was becoming suspicious that “games” may be being played in the case and stressed he would not tolerate any abuse of the court’s process.

The judge granted orders permitting a solicitor, Paul Kerrigan, to come off record for (cease representing) Mr O’Donnell, his wife Mary Patricia and three companies linked to Mr O’Donnell, two registered in the Isle of Man and one in Jersey.

In letters to the court, Mr Kerrigan said there had been an irretrievable breakdown of trust with those clients and instructions he had received in recent days contradicted instructions previously given to him. He had been put in an invidious position and was no longer willing to act.

Another solicitor, Vincent Sheils of Athenry, Co Galway, said he was seeking to come on record for the couple and the companies, and asked for time to address matters.

The developments came in Commercial Court proceedings in which Bank of Ireland contends the O’Donnells’ home in Killiney, Co Dublin, and a property in London are owned by the couple and not by trusts as they allege.