A High Court judge yesterday directed a solicitor to hand over the title deeds of a house in Cork which belonged to a Swiss national accused of fraudulent conversion. After being granted bail, the man left the State last June.
Mr Justice Budd directed that Mr Andrew Dillon, a solicitor, of Kinsale, Co Cork hand over the title deeds of the former home of Mr Richard Deutsch at Lacknacumeen, Belgooley, Co Cork.
The deeds of the house, which was said to be worth more than £100,000, are to be given to the Chief State Solicitor pending a further order by the court.
Adjourning the case until November 3rd next, the judge suggested that, in the meantime, Mr Daniel O'Keeffe SC, for the State, might wish to research the background to the type of court order which might subsequently be made in regard to the house.
Mr Deutsch (41), married with three children, was accused last March of the fraudulent conversion of £290,000 which he allegedly received from Mrs Margaret Cummins of Darnstown, Killmallock, Co Limerick.
When Mrs Cummins sought the return of the money she was told it had been lost due to a bad investment.
Mr Deutsch, who was said to be wanted by the authorities in his own country to serve an 18-month sentence for drugs-related offences, secured bail at the High Court earlier this year.
This month Mr Justice Budd made orders estreating Mr Deutsch's bail. He was told Mr Deutsch had fled Ireland with his wife and three children and in one phone call to Ireland said he was now living in Zurich.
Yesterday Mr Ciaran Lewis, for Mrs Cummins, said that his client had instituted civil proceedings against Mr Deutsch for the return of her money.
No date had yet been fixed for the hearing.
She had also made a complaint to the gardai and was anxious to ensure that as much money as possible was available.
Mr Lewis said that if Mr Deutsch's home was sold to satisfy the bail conditions, the only person who would suffer would be his client.