THE Kiltegan Tidy Towns' Committee in Co Wicklow has changed solicitors and reported its previous solicitor to the Law Society, the High Court was told yesterday.
Ms Elizabeth Bruton, solicitor of Leixlip, Co Kildare, had been acting for the committee in relation to proceedings involving the £2.8 million Irish estate of Madame Hume Weygand, of Humewood, Kiltegan.
Ms Bruton, at a previous court hearing, had alleged the whole village of Kiltegan was meant to have benefitted from the estate.
Yesterday, Ms Nuala Jackson, counsel for the committee, told Mr Justice Barron she had just received instructions from a new solicitor acting on behalf of six named members of the tidy towns' committee. The solicitor had not yet come "on record" and she asked for a short adjournment to allow a notice to be served of a change of solicitor.
At the previous court hearing, Ms Bruton said proceedings had been brought on behalf of the committee against Mr William A. Osborne and Mr Niall O'Neill, of Brown and McCann, solicitors, Naas, Co Kildare, trustees of the late Madame Weygand's estate.
Yesterday, Mr Dan Herbert SC, for the trustees, said this was a matter in which Ms Bruton had sworn an affidavit in which she made the most vile and scurrilous allegations against his clients, including fraud.
He understood that Ms Bruton had no authority to make the affidavit and had acted without instructions from the committee.
Ms Bruton told the court that during the course of the proceedings it was agreed she attend at the offices of Brown and McCann to inspect bank statements, vouchers and matters relating to the estate. She was shown documents which, she believed, did not relate to what had been put into accounts.
She believed she had a duty as an officer of the court to do something about it. It had been suggested she turn a blind eye to these matters.
She felt it had not been for the tidy towns' committee to take this matter on board but that it was a matter for the Law Society. She had been informed she was "out of order". She had received a letter from the society that she was to take no further steps without her clients' instructions.
Ms Bruton said she was told there would be an investigation by the society of a complaint against her and she took this to mean that disciplinary proceedings would be taken against her even though she did what she thought was proper as an officer of the court.
Mr Herbert said it appeared there was no action against his clients; the solicitor on record was no longer being instructed by the tidy towns' committee.
Ms Jackson said she was instructed that her clients had not been aware of an affidavit made by Ms Bruton.
Mr Justice Barron said he would adjourn the matter for two weeks.
Mr Herbert said his clients had not made any complaint to the Law Society; it had been Ms Bruton's own clients.