Gardaí unable to locate financial advisor wanted for alleged contempt of court

Gardaí have been unable to locate and bring a financial advisor claimed to have used investors funds for his own personal use before the High Court to answer his alleged contempt.

Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds was told gardaí in Buncrana, Co Donegal have searched for James Doherty, and are continuing to make efforts to find him.

The court previously made an order that Mr Doherty be brought before the High Court by gardaí over his failure to comply with court orders including that he return a six-figure sum given to him to invest.

The Judge has previously made orders against Mr Doherty including ones freezing both his assets and the assets of two of his companies over an alleged failure to return €159,000 advanced to him as an investment.

The Judge also granted judgement for €159,000 against Mr Doherty.

The orders were sought by Jamie Murphy who claims Mr Doherty, trading as Demvera Capital Partners has allegedly used money that he advanced to Mr Doherty in 2017 for the defendant's own personal use.

Mr Murphy claims the monies were to be invested in a company that provides care for people, but the money never went where it was supposed to go.

Mr Murphy of St Annes Park, Quinn Road, Shankill Co Dublin made several requests for his investment to be returned to him but Mr Doherty has failed to do so.

Last December Mr Murphy's lawyers secured freezing orders against Mr Doherty trading as Demvera Capital Partners, with a registered address at Serpentine Business Park, Serpentine Avenue Ballsbridge Dublin 4 and a related company Demvera Trust unlimited Company, with an address at Burnfoot Business Park, Main Street, Burnfoot, Co Donegal.

The orders prevent the defendants from reducing their assets, which included sums held in two bank accounts in Co Dublin and Donegal, beneath a value of €159,000.

Mr Doherty, who represented himself as an accountant and a financial advisor, was also ordered to produce a list of all his assets within four weeks, which he has failed to do.

Today Eugene Gleeson SC, appearing with Alannah McGurk Bl for Mr Murphy said gardaí in Buncrana had written to his client's solicitor.

Gardaí are not aware of Mr Doherty's current whereabouts.

He was not residing at a number of addresses linked to him and his firms in Co Donegal, nor is he in receipt of any social welfare payments.

Neither had Mr Doherty's family have not had any contact with him since he texted his mother to wish her a happy birthday.

The Gardaí have checked with Mr Doherty's acquaintances and no-one has heard from him recently, counsel added.

Ms Justice Reynolds adjourned the case until such a time that Mr Doherty is located and brought before the High Court forthwith to answer the allegation of contempt.