Quinn appeal ruling today

THE SUPREME Court will rule this morning on an appeal by Seán Quinn jnr against the decision to jail him almost three months ago.

Mr Quinn jnr was jailed by Ms Justice Elizabeth Dunne following her findings that he acted in contempt of court orders restraining stripping of up to $430 million in assets from the Quinn family’s international property group and also failed to reverse a series of asset-stripping steps.

The four-day appeal hearing ended last week and the matter is listed today “for ruling” in the Supreme Court, which appears to indicate the five judges will outline their decision on the appeal with full reasons to be provided later.

Yesterday evening, lawyers for Mr Quinn jnr applied to the Supreme Court for an order directing that he may attend court this morning for the ruling.

That production order was granted.

During the appeal his lawyers argued that Irish Bank Resolution Corporation, the former Anglo Irish Bank, had failed to outline exactly what Mr Quinn jnr is being held in prison for and had conceded there was “no direct evidence” to support the finding of contempt against him.

The bank contended “a chain of events” and 30 pieces of circumstantial evidence supported the court’s “common sense” finding that Mr Quinn participated in a $500,000 payment on foot of which he was found in contempt.

Last June Ms Justice Dunne ruled he was in contempt of court orders of June and July 2011 restraining stripping of assets on the basis of his participation in a $500,000 payment to Larissa Puga, general director of Quinn Properties Ukraine, on the eve of that company’s takeover by the bank in August 2011.

The judge later made 30 coercive orders aimed at unwinding asset-stripping measures.