Men remain in jail for contempt over Strokestown eviction

Two men jailed for contempt by the High Court over their interference with a bank’s lawful takeover of a farm and house which was the subject of an eviction in 2018 remain in prison, a judge was told on Friday.

Michael Anthony McGann, who owns the property at Falsk, Strokestown, Co Roscommon, and Kevin Taylor, a retired garda of Dublin Road, Roscommon, were among three men arrested at the house last November for interference with efforts by KBC Bank’s agents to secure the property following the eviction.

They were found guilty of contempt a week later and lodged in Mountjoy Prison. On December 23rd last, the third man, Colm Granahan, from Ballina in Co Mayo, purged his contempt before the court and was released.

The two others remained in prison and on Friday Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds was due to be given an update as to their position at a remote hearing.

Rossa Fanning SC, for KBC, said there had been difficulties in producing the two for remote hearing at the prison’s end so the matter would have to be put back to give them an opportunity to purge their contempt.

Mr Fanning said Mr McGann has continued in correspondence to contest the legality of the repossession order obtained by KBC arising out of a €431,000 debt on the property from a loan to Mr McGann, its registered owner.

Ms Justice Reynolds put the case back to next month. She said Mr McGann and Mr Taylor were well aware they can apply to purge their contempt at any time.