Stokes family consent to €14.7m judgment

Businessman Jeffrey Stokes, and his wife and son Simon have consented to €14.7 million summary judgment orders being entered against them arising from various loans and guarantees.

The Commercial Court was told by Simon Stokes that his brother Christian is also prepared to consent to the judgment. The application against Christian Stokes, who was not in court yesterday, will be dealt with in September, Mr Justice Peter Kelly directed.

Dunbar Assets Ireland, formerly Zurich Bank, claimed it was owed the €14.7 million under what it described as the Consolidated Stokes Facility, created following a restructuring in 2011 of various facilities dating from 2007, and from guarantees.

Hugh O'Flaherty, for Jeffrey and Pia Bang Stokes, Enniskerry Road, Kiltiernan, Co Dublin, and Simon Stokes, representing himself, asked for a two-week stay on registration and execution of the judgment.

Simon said he wanted a chance to engage with Dunbar about what happens after judgment is entered but was not disputing liability. Paul Fogarty, for Dunbar, said it would agree to the two-week stay.

Facilities advanced by Zurich Bank to some or all of the defendants include Missford Ltd; the Unicorn restaurant in Dublin; Mazemore, Torquay Road, Foxrock; and the leasehold in the Residence Club, St Stephen's Green, Dublin.