Judge orders hurler’s arrest over bankruptcy
Mr Justice Brian McGovern directed that a warrant for Mr Codd’s arrest be issued after the court was yesterday informed the Wexford hurler had not complied with undertakings, given last January, to meet with the court-appointed official in charge of his bankruptcy.
The High Court heard meetings which had been set up in relation to his bankruptcy were cancelled by Mr Codd via late-night emails and he may now be out of the jurisdiction.
Last December, Mr Codd was briefly jailed for alleged non-compliance with the bankruptcy process.
Two days before Christmas, Mr Codd secured his release from Mountjoy Prison. He was released after providing a statement of affairs to the official assignee and promising to co-operate. He subsequently claimed he was coerced into giving undertakings to the court to co-operate with his bankruptcy to avoid spending Christmas in prison.
In January, Mr Codd gave sworn undertakings, before the High Court, to co-operate with the official in charge of his bankruptcy, Chris Lehane, and also to return several items of machinery leased to Mr Codd’s now dissolved company Paul Codd Ltd.
Yesterday, Mr Lehane told the court Mr Codd did not attend three pre-arranged meetings at the official assignee’s office in Dublin.
Mr Lehane said Mr Codd had breached his undertakings and “was in contempt of court”. Mr Lehane said he was seeking an order under section 23 of the Bankruptcy Act that Mr Codd be arrested and brought before the court.
A man who said he represented Mr Codd told the court Mr Codd is “out of the jurisdiction”.
Mr Codd’s debts and those of his company, are estimated to be €4.9m.
