REPLICA ROW:A DISPUTE over the ownership of a replica model of the Titanic, which is currently on display as part of the Tall Ships Festival in Dublin, has come before the High Court.
The court heard the 4.9m (16ft) model was constructed at the home of Cork woman Carmel McGrath by Zoltan Panka, a Hungarian national. Ms McGrath paid the €8,300 building costs.
The model, estimated to be worth up to €70,000, is jointly owned by the pair, it is claimed.
Gerard Nicholas Murphy, for Ms McGrath, told Mr Justice Kevin Feeney at the High Court yesterday that this month Mr Panka, without permission, took the model from his client’s home while she was away. Despite requests to return it Mr Panka has failed to do so, and counsel said his client now fears he may sell it and return to Hungary.
Mr Justice Feeney granted Ms McGrath a temporary injunction preventing Mr Panka from selling, disposing or parting with possession of the model. The injunction was granted on an ex-parte basis (one side only). The judge made the matter returnable to a date in early September.
Mr Murphy, for Ms McGrath, said his client had known Mr Panka since 2009. The two started a relationship and lived at her home at Glenview Park, Dillons Cross, Cork. In October 2010 they decided to mark the 100th anniversary of the Titanic’s sinking by building a replica. Both were to be joint owners. Ms McGrath paid €8,300 towards the cost of the model, which was built by Mr Panka, who the court heard lives at a homeless shelter at Anglesea Street, Cork.
Proceeds of a sale of the replica were to be split 50-50, counsel said. This month, after Ms McGrath returned from holidays, it was gone. She said Mr Panka, who had been house-sitting for her, had removed it without her permission.
She informed gardaí of what had happened, counsel said. She contacted Mr Panka asking for its return, but he did not respond.
Mr Murphy said his client then got a letter from a solicitor acting for Mr Panka complaining of harassment, threatening and abusive text messages and making a vexatious complaint to gardaí.