Couple facing €500k bill over failed hedge case

A couple embroiled in a legal battle with their neighbours over a hedge are now facing a massive legal bill after they yesterday lost their case.

James and Ann Madigan could be looking at a legal bill as high as €500,000 after 10 years of a bitter dispute and two court battles ended in defeat in the High Court.

The president of the High Court, Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns said if the events of this case had featured in the plot of The Field audiences might have regarded them as too implausible to be credible.