Businessmen face threat of jail after judge finds them in contempt of court

Bankrupt businessman Seán Quinn, his son Seán, and nephew Peter Darragh Quinn, could face jail after they were yesterday found guilty by a High Court judge of contempt of court.

Ms Justice Elizabeth Dunne ruled the three were in breach of court orders restraining them putting multi-million euro assets in their international property group beyond the reach of the former Anglo Irish Bank.

All three engaged in a “complex, complicated and no doubt costly” series of steps designed to put assets beyond the reach of the bank, in “a blatant, dishonest and deceitful manner”, the judge said.