Couple awarded €38,000 sued by bank

A Dublin couple who sued ACC bank and won €38,000 damages earlier this year are being sued by another bank for an alleged debt…

A Dublin couple who sued ACC bank and won €38,000 damages earlier this year are being sued by another bank for an alleged debt.

Ulster Bank has obtained an order in the Circuit Civil Court freezing €11,000 of the €38,000 awarded to Mr Christopher and Ms Avril Trimble, of Brackenstown Village, Swords, Co Dublin. The €11,000 will remain locked in court until the parties have argued claims as to liability and a judge has determined the issue.

In an action alleging defamation, negligence, breach of contract and fraud against the ACC bank, the Trimbles were awarded €38,000 damages in the Circuit Civil Court in March. Judge Kevin Haugh said then that ACC bank had treated the Trimbles in an "abominable fashion".

Mr David Burke, counsel for the Trimbles, told the court how his clients suffered a litany of returned cheques and other banking errors which had destroyed their reputations. ACC admitted liability in the defamation case, in which it was held to have ignored arrangements for the payment of business accounts and had redirected monies paid in by the Trimbles to cover Visa bills and repayments on a term loan. So many of their cheques were dishonoured that gardaí had to call to their home and wait there while arrangements were made to pay parking fines in cash.

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The legal action by Ulster Bank to recover €11,000 it claims the Trimbles owe them - which the Trimbles deny - is expected to be dealt with in October.