Judge orders woman to sell her home

A deserted mother of two has told a judge she believed her husband bringing her a cup of tea in the morning was to keep her from the postman — and news their finances were on the rocks.

Karen Jepson said in the Circuit Civil Court it was only after her husband Ian went missing that she found the mortgage repayments were €43,000 in the red and he had a gambling problem.

“It was a shock to me to discover we were in arrears of €43,000 and that he hadn’t paid a penny off the mortgage since 2015,” a tearful Ms Jepson said yesterday as she pleaded with Judge Jacqueline Linnane to overturn a possession order.

Gary Hayes, counsel for KBC Bank Ireland, said the lender had obtained the order early last year on the home at Kelly’s Bay Tower, Skerries, Co Dublin.

Ms Jepson said she had gone to the bank after her husband disappeared overnight. He had been presumed dead until traced in February last year.

Judge Linnane said the bank had dealt appropriately with the situation and had engaged with Ms Jepson, advising her about what legal steps were open to her and they she should go to Mabs. She had allowed her brother-in-law to negotiate with the bank but had not been kept fully informed by him.

The outstanding balance was just over €230,000 and repayments from a social welfare allowance were unstainable. The judge said similar houses near Ms Jepson were selling for around €350,000.

Judge Linnane granted a stay of three months against the bank taking any further steps providing she put the house up for sale. Failure to complywould allow the bank to take possession of her home.