AN ANTIQUES dealer, jailed for contempt of court, was freed on bail from Mountjoy Prison yesterday. She was freed by Mr Justice Kelly prior to his hearing today of a High Court inquiry into the legality of her detention.
Judge Cyril Kelly jailed Ms Teresa Grogan, of Oaklands Park, Swords, Co Dublin, in the Circuit Court last week after he had been told she had twice disobeyed a court order in countermanding a cheque for £3,000 in a settlement of court proceedings. She also failed to honour an undertaking to the court to rectify the matter by settling the debt by bank draft.
Ms Grogan had hurried from the Circuit Civil Court when she heard Judge Cyril Kelly say that she would go to prison but surrendered herself to the authorities on Monday and spent that night in Mountjoy Prison before her successful bail application.
Judge Cyril Kelly had heard that the contempt arose following a dispute over items bought at a fine art auction of Mr Denis Drum, auctioneer, Malahide. Ms Grogan had brought proceedings to restrain Mr Drum from reselling the items but had settled the action and had written a cheque for just over £3,000 which she had later countermanded.
Judge Cyril Kelly had ordered her to prison for contempt. However, in an application to the Circuit Court President, Mr Justice Spain, a stay was put on the order and he sent the matter back to Judge Cyril Kelly who refused to vary his earlier order. He heard Ms Grogan had given the president an undertaking to meet the £3,000 debt immediately by way of a bank draft and that she had failed to keep this undertaking.