Artist rejects affair suggestion

A Dublin artist has rejected the idea that her husband was having an affair with the housecleaner she alleges stole paintings worth €28,595 from her home.

Roza Komorova, aged 46, of Brehon Grove, Balinteer, Co Dublin, has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to theft of the paintings from Louise Mansfield’s home on Brennanstown Rd, Cabinteely, on September 5, 2011.

John Berry, defending, told Ms Mansfield he had a difficult question to ask. He put it to her that her husband, Theo Hanley, was having an affair between 2003 and 2011 with Ms Komorova.

“I’m sorry,” Ms Mansfield said after laughing. “I don’t believe you. I really don’t believe you. It’s absolutely ludicrous.”

Ms Mansfield denied any knowledge of her husband paying money into a credit card account in Ms Komorova’s name or giving her two cars which had been owned by Ms Mansfield and her son.

Ms Mansfield was shown a MBNA credit card statement in Ms Komorova’s name addressed to the Mansfield’s home. Counsel said credit card statements in his client’s name had been going to the house from 2003 to 2011 and Mr Hanley had been making payments into this account.

Ms Mansfield said she had never seen it before and described it as ludicrous.

Ms Komorova had been working for Ms Mansfield for around a decade before the incident. The alleged victim said it was a cash-only relationship and she had never given gifts of any sort during that time.

Ms Mansfield said she called gardaí after noticing her favourite painting of a fighting cockerel was missing from her hall in the summer of 2011.

On September 5, 2011, Det Sgt Michael Grogan locked himself in a room in the Mansfield’s house so he could monitor their CCTV. At 12pm, he saw Ms Komorova arriving in a white van.

Fifteen minutes later, Ms Mansfield and Mr Hanley left and soon after Ms Komorova was seen carrying items to the van.

Ms Mansfield denied she had told Ms Komorova to take the paintings. She said Ms Komorova rarely helped her move paintings and only did so under her supervision.

The court heard Ms Mansfield was a long established and commercially successful artist for over a decade.

The trial continues.