Simon Stokes’s estranged wife asks to be a creditor

Bankrupt businessman Simon Stokes's estranged wife Conach has told the High Court she wants to be added to his list of creditors as part of his bankruptcy process.

"I just want to make you aware about the situation and how he has left his children – he has just returned from a holiday abroad," she told Ms Justice Caroline Costello.

The judge was dealing with a part of the process known as a "statutory sitting", whereby the full details of a bankrupt's financial affairs must be provided to the court-appointed official administering the bankruptcy, official assignee Chris Lehane. Simon and his twin brother Christian were both declared bankrupt last November.

Conach, who described herself as Mr Simon Stokes’s estranged wife, nodded in agreement when the judge suggested she may not wish to be called “Mrs Stokes”.

Earlier, counsel for Mr Simon Stokes asked to adjourn the statutory sitting for a week.

When the judge adjourned it, Conach said she was there on behalf of her three children and her parents, who are also owed money.

“I would like our names to be added to the list of creditors”.

After consulting with the official assignee, the judge told her that a person was entitled to appear in court as a creditor but the procedure was that anyone who wished to be added to the list would first submit a claim to Mr Lehane. Members of her family could also do likewise, the judge said, adjourning the matter for a week.

Ms Justice Costello also passed the statutory sitting for Mr Christian Stokes after a separate counsel appeared on his behalf.

Both brothers had been required to attend, or be represented, at the statutory sitting for the purpose of ensuring the official assignee has been provided with full details of their property and money and to ensure that all their debts are known.

The identical twins ran the Bang restaurant in Dublin.

The Stokes family was also behind the well-known Unicorn restaurant, while the brothers operated the exclusive Residence club on St Stephen’s Green and other venues which failed during the economic downturn.

In 2014, Christian and Simon Stokes, as well as their parents Jeffrey and Pia, consented to a €14.7m judgment being entered against them arising from various loans and guarantees.

In January 2012, the High Court disqualified the brothers from being company directors until 2016 arising out of their their involvement in the Residence club.

A judge described them as “delinquent directors” who had engaged in “a form of thieving” by using tax money to trade.