A judge has restrained a ladies hairdresser, who shares premises with his sister, a barber, from intimidating, harassing or interfering with her.
The Circuit Civil Court heard that Traolach Mac An Seonnach had assaulted his sister, Jacqueline Fox, by shoving her against a door.
Judge Alison Lindsay was told the brother and sister, who work from the same unit at Rathcoole Shopping Centre, Co Dublin, were engaged in a tenancy dispute. She heard Ms Fox, of Hawkstone, The Commons, Baldonnel, Co Dublin, operates "The Foxy Barber" shop from unit 7. Literally across the floor, her brother ran "Vixen Hair Design".
David Burke, counsel for Ms Fox, said Mr Mac An Seonnach was disputing his sister's claim to a renewal of tenancy and was alleging she had only a licence to her share of the premises.
Ms Fox claims she paid her brother just over €15,000 for rent up to December 2005. She said that since March of this year Mr Mac An Seonnach had started a campaign of harassment and intimidation to force her to vacate the dual shop.
Mr Burke said Mr Mac An Seonnach had used violence against his client who claims she was abused and assaulted by him in front of customers.
Ms Fox alleges her brother removed her signs from the shop window and had removed a partition which divided the unit.
He said Ms Fox was entitled to the protection of the court to allow her to go about her business without fear of violence or interference to her or her staff.
Mr Mac An Seonnach denies his sister's allegations but was told by Judge Lindsay she was entitled to an interlocutory injunction restraining him from intimidating or harassing her.