Global Mobile Vision owes creditors €1.46 million

Global Mobile Vision, a technology company that went into voluntary liquidation last year amid a string of allegations from its staff, left a deficiency of €1.46 million, creditors were told yesterday.

A statement of affairs produced for the meeting showed the company had tangible assets of €8,785. The Irish Times was not allowed to attend the meeting.

The main shareholders, UK nationals David and Esther Crownborn, were not present at yesterday's meeting. Efforts to contact them were unsuccessful.

Global Mobile Vision is a UK registered business that had a trading address at Nangor Road Business Park, Dublin 12. It was incorporated in August 2004 and began trading immediately. It ceased trading in June 2005.

The company's stated principal trading activity was the marketing and provision of data services to mobile phones.

The company's Irish directors told liquidators Kroll, of Manchester, England, according to the report to creditors, that the principal reasons for the company's failure were "damaging allegations made by former employees" and the insolvency of a debtor company. The debtor company, which owed £326,488, was Paracletes Technologies, also of Dublin.

Two related companies, Paracletes Technologies and YBN International Ireland, went into liquidation in August 2005, leaving debts estimated at €3.5 million.

Employees are owed more than €160,000 in wage arrears and other payments, according to the statement of affairs. The Revenue is owed €150,633. Trade creditors total €115,179, while directors loans are €1 million.

The statement of affairs showed the company had laptop computers worth an estimated €8,785 and no other assets.

The trade creditors include: Crimeforce Ireland Property Protection (€8,468); Heneghan PR (€21,780); Murrays Rent-a-Car (€32,000); NTL Communications (€10,663); and O2 (€13,947).

Director Gerry Byrne, of Milverton House, Carlow, is owed €35,000, according to the statement of affairs. He could not be contacted yesterday. David and Esther Crownborn, of Kilininy Court, Firhouse, Dublin, are owed €680,928.

Shareholder directors are the Crownborns, Mr Byrne, Brendan Hale and Sheila Hade. The last three directors are associated with the Victory Christian Fellowship, of Westland Row, Dublin.

Last year, independent TD Finian McGrath told the Dáil that employees at the company had approached him with allegations of exploitation, intimidation, breach of rights, dismissals, failure to pay staff, mandatory working, threats and sexual harassment. He said he had been told of incidents where members of staff, especially female employees, were asked to give managers "hugs".

Global Mobile Vision has a website but does not state on it where it is located. A document on the site indicates it may have a business in Delaware. On the website, the company says the Crownborns invested more than €5 million in its Dublin operation. It said some employees did not prove suitable and were let go during their training period. It also says the company experienced some early cash-flow problems.

"Since these trainee and disgruntled former employees did not have any legal or legitimate claims to make against Global Mobile Vision and against David and Esther, some of them decided to take their alleged claims to the alternative tabloid press and to some rather fringe or extremist politicians," the website states.