Man served with legal proceedings now in St John of God hospital, court told

A company director who was served with legal proceedings last Saturday checked himself into St John of God hospital the next day, the High Court has been told.

Graham Kenny of Lyons Kenny Solicitors, for joint liquidators appointed to a promotions company, told the court that the documents had been served at the Co Meath home of director Alan Barrett.

Mr Barrett, Ashbourne, is joint owner of EventElephant Ltd, whose clients include Arsenal and Newcastle soccer clubs, the IRFU, British Airways, the Law Society, RTÉ and An Post.

Ms Justice Mary Laffoy told liquidators Joseph Walsh and Neil Hughes to write to Mr Barrett at St John of God informing him of a court order she granted in his absence directing Permanent TSB to give them details of his personal bank account. Séamus Breen, for the liquidators, said his clients had already obtained a Mareva injunction freezing Mr Barrett’s bank account.

He said that while the liquidators had only the last four digits of the account number, the solicitors had been told there was only a one in 10,000 chance of this not being Mr Barrett’s personal account.

Money transfers
Mr Breen said the liquidators believed transfers of money from the business appeared to have gone into what was believed to be Mr Barrett's personal account.

The Ashbourne-based company has been in examinership since July. The High Court, having heard on August 7th that EventElephant had no prospect of survival, ordered its winding up. The company creates web pages to advertise and sell tickets for various events.

Mr Justice Paul McDermott on August 7th had ended the examinership by removing the court’s protection of the company from its creditors and appointing the liquidators. He had heard there were concerns about a criminal investigation by the Revenue and about €1.4 million that had not been paid to parties who had organised particular events.

Ms Justice Laffoy gave leave to any party affected by her order to apply to the court either to vary or discharge her order.