High Court declares John and Dolores Quinn bankrupt

Former Jondol Furniture directors John and Dolores Quinn have been adjudicated bankrupts by Ms Justice Marie Baker in the High Court on foot of a petition by the Revenue Commissioners.

Barrister John Donnelly told the court the couple, whose home is Woodside House, Dunnstown, Brannockstown, Co Kildare, formerly lived at Jigginstown, Naas.

Mr Donnelly, who appeared with Ivor Fitzpatrick Solicitors for Revenue, informed the court that the couple were jointly and severally responsible for a tax debt of €331,979 on foot of judgments obtained in 2010 and 2011.

He told the judge there was a long history to the matter including the court having previously been told that Mr Quinn had obtained loan approval from Barclays Bank in England and would be in a position to draw down money that would discharge the €331,979 liability entirely. That had never happened.

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John Quinn in an affidavit stated he was working as a self-employed interior designer in London with earnings of €95,000 for last year. His wife Dolores worked separately in retail sales in Ireland earning €27,000.

He said he was a director and shareholder of Anglo Country Meats Ltd incorporated in June 2017 with plans to purchase an abattoir in Anglesea, north Wales. Despite his background in furniture and interior design his roots were in farming. His father was a cattle dealer and his brothers were currently exporting cattle to North Africa and he had worked with them on and off.

Private loan

Quinn said he did not have the personal capital to purchase the company which would be capitalised by a private loan from a long-term acquaintance for €2.5million which had been drawn down in June last.

He told the court the amount substantially exceeded the purchase price and included an amount of €320,000 to enable him to discharge the debt to Revenue. The funds were already in Barclays Bank, Shropshire, but delayed due to compliance procedures the bank had to follow.

His relationship manager at Barclays, Neil Shoane, very sadly, he said, had, while walking late at night, been involved in a hit-and-run collision and had been killed. He was dealing with a new client manager, Wayne Eaton, who had to go through stages he had previously completed with Mr Shoane.

Quinn said that with huge regret he had to inform the court that compliance checks had not been completed but he had received a letter from Barclays on July 31st last assuring him that completion was imminent.

The judge refused both of the Quinns an adjournment and granted Revenue an order making both of them bankrupts.

The Quinns and their two children were to have been evicted from their Brannockstown five-bed bungalow in September last year on foot of a €3 million debt on which they had defaulted but won a reprieve following a last-minute court application.