Court orders sale of home: Real deterrent

INCONSISTENCY in court rulings is a common theme, one that is often baffling and hard to understand.

Some weeks ago the High Court approved the write-off of about €12m in debt owed by a Dublin business couple in return for the lump-sum payment of €145,000.

In contrast, many others are evicted from their homes over far smaller debts, so it is hard to understand the rationale much less the equity behind these decisions.

In a different kind of decision a judge yesterday ordered the sale of a paedophile’s home so a €100,000 compensation order made in favour of one of his victims might be paid off in a reasonable timeframe.

John O’Neill, a 51-year-old unemployed law student, had “sporadically and irregularly” paid €50 a week to a nephew he had abused over the last four years with only €6,630 paid off the debt.

Yesterday’s ruling is to be welcomed because it gives real meaning to the court’s earlier order and puts the victim’s interests to the forefront.

Maybe it is a principle that should be invoked more often. It would certainly be a deterrent.