A FARMER who has spent the past seven months in jail for failing to purge a contempt-of-court order was sent back to prison yesterday, after refusing to obey the order of the presiding judge.
Danny Doherty (40) has been in Limerick prison since July 2011 after he refused to give an undertaking to vacate farmland at Rathcahill, Templeglantine, Co Limerick.
Mr Doherty, who helped farm the land for years, has always claimed he had been left the 40-acre lands in a promise by two bachelor brothers, Eddie and Matty Roche, prior to their deaths in 2002.
However, the brothers died without leaving wills and the farm was left to their family.
Judge Carroll Moran granted Mr Doherty another chance yesterday to purge his contempt by agreeing to vacate the lands, but Mr Doherty, who has had several chances to walk free from jail by agreeing to the order, once again refused to purge his contempt.
Mr Doherty’s refusal to agree to the court’s order resulted in a feverish exchange between himself and Judge Moran.
“No. I’m not going against the wishes of Matty and Eddie,” Mr Doherty repeatedly told the judge at Limerick Circuit Court.
“You leave me with no alternative. If anyone did what they liked there would be chaos in the country. You have to obey the orders of the court,” Judge Moran said.
But Mr Doherty responded: “That is the wish of the court but it’s not Matty’s wishes.”
“I’m sure you do understand. I’m sure you’re a very intelligent man. I don’t want to see you in prison but you’ll have to stay in prison to obey the court order,” the judge said.
He then asked Mr Doherty if he was prepared to vacate the land. Mr Doherty again refused to do so.
“I’ve no choice. As much as I’d like to release you this minute, the court order continues,” the judge said.