Gardaí ordered to arrest Lynn

GARDAÍ have been ordered to arrest solicitor Michael Lynn and bring him before the High Court this morning for failing to comply with an order requiring him to answer questions in court about property dealings that have contributed to his estimated liabilities of €80 million.

The president of the High Court Mr Justice Richard Johnson made an order for the arrest of Mr Lynn yesterday morning after Mr Lynn failed to attend for cross-examination by the Law Society, scheduled to begin at 11am in the Four Courts. The judge directed that Mr Lynn be brought before the court at 2pm.

However, at 2pm, there was still no appearance either by Mr Lynn or any lawyer acting for him. Mr Shane Murphy SC, for the Law Society, asked that the matter be adjourned to today to allow the society put matters on affidavit.

Proceedings in which Bank of Scotland Ireland wants Mr Lynn to execute charges in its favour over certain properties may also come before the court today, the judge was told.

Mr Justice Johnson adjourned the case to this morning and said if Mr Lynn turned up, he was to be detained in custody until the court hearing at 11am.

Earlier, Gary McCarthy, for Mr Lynn’s wife, Brid Murphy, said she last saw her husband on Monday evening at the offices of Merriman White solicitors, at Tooks Court, London. Ms Murphy then flew back to Ireland for a meeting with solicitors here in relation to separate proceedings involving her.

Counsel said Mr Lynn was in London on Tuesday with Merriman White and had spoken to his wife by phone. Ms Murphy made calls to her husband yesterday but had not so far heard back from him. She expected to be phoned soon.

Counsel agreed Mr Lynn was aware he had to be in court yesterday but said Ms Murphy was not a party to the proceedings by the society against her husband. She had been served at 1.10pm yesterday with the order for the attachment of her husband with a view to facilitating bringing that order to his attention, counsel noted.

Mr Lynn was to have been cross-examined by Mr Murphy, for the society, before the High Court President about his dealings concerning six properties. His evidence is not admissible in any criminal proceedings as he is required by court order to attend.

The solicitor has been accused of taking out multiple mortgages on the same properties and has estimated liabilities of some €80m. His assets have been valued at €52.5m and he or his firms were listed as having 154 bank accounts and dealings concerning some 148 properties.

Documents relating to Mr Lynn’s dealings have been sent to the Garda National Bureau of Fraud Investigation and some of its officers, as well as representatives of the major banks who are owed multi-million sums, were in court yesterday.

Earlier yesterday, just after 11am, Paul Burns SC, with Gabriel Gavigan&, who had until recently represented Mr Lynn in the proceedings brought against him by the society, applied to be formally discharged as Mr Lynn’s legal representatives.

Mr Burns had told the court last Monday that it had been indicated Mr Lynn was now to be represented by an English law firm.

After Mr Lynn was called and there was no appearance by either him or any legal representative, Mr Burns said he was formally applying to come off record.

Instructions to Sean Sexton, who had been Mr Lynn’s instructing solicitor, had “effectively been withdrawn” and his side were unaware of any firm having come on record for Mr Lynn.