02/10/2012

Seán Quinn Jnr Appeal Launched

Ireland’s Supreme Court has begun hearing an appeal launched by Seán Quinn Jnr against his three month jail term.

His lawyers have told the Supreme Court his indefinite imprisonment for contempt of court and failing to reverse an asset-stripping conspiracy is "incorrect and legally wrong".

Quinn Jnr was jailed after being found guilty of “outrageous contempt”, following revelations he interfered with the Quinn family's €500m international property group despite a court order.

This morning senior counsel Brian O’Moore said Seán Quinn Jnr was found guilty of contempt on a single issue. He said the judge had jailed Quinn Jnr as a means to encourage his father to comply with court orders.

The Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC) claims the Quinn family owes it about £2bn and says it is trying to recover the money from their property assets on behalf of Irish taxpayers.

Sean Quinn Jnr is in court after his lawyers last week secured his temporary release from Mountjoy Prison so he could attend the case.

The IBRC did not object to his release.

IBRC did not seek to jail Sean Quinn Snr at the time, as it wanted him to be able to reverse the asset-stripping measures implemented by him and his family.

At the height of his success, Sean Quinn Snr was the 12th richest man in the UK and the richest in Ireland.

He is recognised as having employed thousands of people, specifically in the cross-border area of Fermanagh and Cavan.

(IT/GK)

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