Girl (17) sues uncle over €50,000 withdrawal from late mother’s account

The High Court has frozen the assets of a Dublin man who is alleged to have withdrawn from a credit union account some €50,000 claimed to belong to his 17-year-old niece.

Barrister Shane Kiely told Mr Justice Michael Twomey that teenager Danielle Hannon, who believes the money should be hers, had suffered a double tragedy in her life this year.

Mr Kiely said her father had died in February and her mother had passed away in April. Some €50,000 had this week been taken from her late mother’s credit union account which, Ms Hannon believed, had been closed by her uncle Jonathon Hannon.

Colum Doherty, of C.N. Doherty and Company, solicitors for Danielle Hannon of Foxdene Gardens, Balgaddy, Lucan, Co Dublin, told the court that through a close friend of her late mother, Danielle was suing Jonathon Hannon (39) of Meile An Ri Green, Balgaddy.

Mr Doherty said Jonathon Hannon was currently residing in Bewley's Hotel, Newlands Cross, Co Dublin, and it was believed he was waiting for a cheque from Rowlagh Credit Union to clear before leaving with the money for Cardiff in south Wales where he had connections.

Mr Kiely, counsel for Danielle, said she had visited the credit union on Wednesday and had been told that her mother’s account had been closed the previous day and all of the monies withdrawn.

He said Danielle’s mother had inherited some €21,000 a week before she passed away, bringing the total of her Credit Union deposit to about €50,000.

It was believed Danielle’s mother had “under severe medication” and during the week of her death had signed a document allowing Jonathon Hannon to access the account.

Judge Twomey granted Danielle a mareva injunction freezing her uncle’s assets until further order of the court. He allowed Mr Doherty serve Hannon with the court order at his previous known address and at Bewley’s Hotel.

The proceedings were returned until next week in the new law term.