The High Court has been asked to order that trespassers, who allegedly broke into a privately owned protected structure in Dublin, end their occupation.
Taylor Trust Consortium (TTC) Ltd, owner of the two-storey house Fountain Lodge, on the Chapelizod Road, Islandbridge, has sought an injunction preventing trespass or any interference with the owner taking possession again.
Mr Justice Brian Cregan on Thursday granted TTC permission to serve proceedings on what is believed to be up to 10 people in the property, one of whom allegedly said he would leave only in response to a court order.
Martin Canny, instructed by solicitor Peter Dempsey, for TTC, said a man installing a new lock on the gate to the property on November 14th was assaulted when approached by 10 individuals. They also allegedly tried to steal his tools before shoving him to prevent him from continuing his work.
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Kealan Meylor-Taylor, a son of director of TTC Douglas Taylor, said in an affidavit gardaí had attended the property earlier that day. After speaking to certain individuals who told them they were paying rent, the officers left saying it was a civil matter.
When they were called again following the alleged assault, Mr Meyler-Taylor said gardaí replied they would not be returning to the property.
Mr Meyler-Taylor also said his sister, Molly Taylor, was approached by three people, called Kate, Marcel and Dylan, who handed her a letter stating they had “just moved into Fountain Lodge” and had made a “cash-in-hand agreement”.
Kate said they had received the keys to the property from a man in Whelan’s pub and she was paying him €500 a month but she did not produce any tenancy agreement.
Mr Canny said this was “quite extraordinary and not in any way correct”. They also refused to leave when asked by Molly to do so and replied they would talk to a friend of the family who is a lawyer.
Mr Justice Cregan said he was satisfied to grant short service of the proceedings and gave directions as to how the papers should be served. He also granted an interim injunction restraining named defendants and unknown persons from damaging the property or lighting fires in it.
He said the case could come back next week.
