The Irish Examiner
A HIGH COURT judge yesterday granted the repossession of four apartments belonging to solicitor Michael Lynn, while also querying if an international arrest warrant had been issued for the fugitive lawyer.
Anglo Irish Bank told the court efforts had been made to track down the missing solicitor and a summons for a possession hearing had been sent to the Algarve, Portugal – to an address legal colleagues had given as a likely contact for Mr Lynn.
Judge Brian McGovern heard how the solicitor owed the bank €685,000 for a loan for four apartments with addresses at the Green, Thornberry, Letterkenny, Co Donegal.
The judge asked lawyers for the bank if they knew whether an international arrest warrant had been issued for the solicitor’s arrest but was told they did not.
"It does seem odd that this hasn’t happened," replied the judge.
The court heard how the debt related to four Donegal investment properties which were bought with a €671,000 loan in late 2007.
A second named defendant in the possession hearing, John Mulkearns, with an address on Iona Road, Glasnevin, had agreed to the order, the court heard.
The bank said it had served a summons by registered post for Mr Lynn at Avenida 28 De Maio, Tavira, the Algarve, Portugal, but had received no reply.
The bank said it believed the solicitor was living there, from information received from legal colleagues.
The judge added: "I find it very difficult to believe that if Mr Lynn had been a citizen of a neighbouring jurisdiction, he wouldn’t have been made amenable to our courts by now."
A total of 12 possession orders were granted in court yesterday of 66 cases listed for hearing.
In another case, a pub owner from Stradbally, Co Laois, had his premises repossessed by ACC Bank after the court heard it had been closed for one year and there had been no interest in its sale.
Owner Michael Delaney said he was not working and the court heard over €280,000 was owed on the loan.
"It looks fairly hopeless, I’m afraid," said the judge.
A separate case heard how a farmer had been unable to attend court over the repossession of his land, due to doctor’s orders. The cattle owner had fainted during a recent court hearing and was admitted to hospital.
A lawyer for the lender said he was "suspicious" about the farmer’s ill health, having heard that the borrower had also collapsed during a previous court case hearing.
"I didn’t trust what happened in the court on the last occasion," the lawyer said.
A sheriff had also been blocked previously by the man’s cattle from serving a summons on the farmer. Judge McGovern renewed a possession order for the lands.
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