Seán Quinn jnr’s role as head of Russian firm highlighted at hearing

Seán Quinn jnr was appointed head of a Russian property company, Logistica, on the same day in June 2011 that he held a meeting with one of the administrators of Quinn Insurance and argued that he should be kept on as head of claims.

An employment appeals tribunal also heard that he could not say who was using a Blackberry phone belonging to him and which data showed had been in Germany, Russia, Ukraine and other countries on particular dates.

Logistica featured in a High Court case in which members of the Quinn family were told to desist in their efforts to put a foreign property portfolio worth hundreds of millions of euro beyond the reach of Anglo Irish Bank, which had legal charges over the assets.

Mr Quinn and his father, Seán Quinn snr, were jailed on contempt of court findings related to the case.

The tribunal heard that Mr Quinn began working for Russian companies Finanstroy and Logistica in May 2011 for a total salary of €400,000 a year, but never told administrator Michael McAteer even though he was still on the payroll of Quinn Insurance.

Conor Power SC, for Quinn Insurance, said the High Court had ruled that Mr Quinn took up his position as managing director of Logistica on June 2nd, 2011. This was the day on which Mr Quinn met with Mr McAteer to discuss his continued role with Quinn Insurance.

Blackberry locations

Mr Quinn was asked about the locations abroad shown for a Blackberry phone at around this time. He said the phone was one he got in addition to his normal phone at one stage, so he could communicate by email while on the road, but it had not been in his possession when data showed it had been in Germany, the UK, Russia and Ukraine on dates alluded to by Mr Power.

He didn’t know who had it at that stage, and hadn’t known it was missing until the issue had been raised in the context of the tribunal hearings. “I don’t know who had the phone,” he said.

Mr Quinn said he was currently unemployed but “I believe I am close to recommencing”. He said had been ordered by a court to return the money he received in Russia.