Director served with legal process enters St John of God’s

A company director who was served with legal proceedings last Saturday checked himself into St John of God’s the following day, the High Court has heard.

A solicitor for joint liquidators appointed to a promotions company told the court documents had been served at the Co Meath home of director Alan Barrett.

Barrett, of White Ash, Ashbourne, is joint owner of Eventelephant Ltd whose clients include Arsenal and Newcastle United soccer clubs, the Irish Rugby Football Union, British Airways, RTE, the Law Society and An Post.

Ms Justice Mary Laffoy told liquidators Joseph Walsh and Neil Hughes to write to Barrett at St John of God’s informing him of a court order she granted in his absence directing Permanent TSB to give them details of his personal bank account.

Barrister Seamus Breen, counsel for the liquidators, said his clients had already obtained a Mareva injunction freezing Mr Barrett’s bank account. He said that, while the liquidators had only the last four digits of the account number, law firm Lyons Kenny Solicitors had been informed there was only a one in 10,000 chance of this not being Mr Barrett’s personal account.

Mr Breen said the liquidators believed transfers of sums of money from the business appeared to have gone into what was believed to be Mr Barrett’s personal account.

Judge Laffoy made the order compelling Permanent TSB to disclose Mr Barrett’s bank account details under the Bankers Act. She heard the liquidators were seeking knowledge of where money from Mr Barrett’s account was transferred.

The Ashbourne-based company has been in Examinership since July last. The High Court, having heard on Aug 7 Eventelephant had no prospect of survival, ordered the winding up of the company which creates web pages to advertise and sell tickets for various events.

Mr Justice Paul McDermott on Aug 7 had ended the Examinership by removing the court’s protection of the company from its creditors and appointing the liquidators.

Judge McDermott had heard there were concerns about a criminal investigation into the company by the Revenue and about €1.4m had not been paid to parties who had organised particular events.

Eventelephant Ltd was set up by Mr Barrett and Ron Downey, a British citizen, in 2008. Its main creditors are the Revenue and AIB.