A Co Limerick cattle dealer has been restrained by the High Court from slaughtering , selling or disposing in any way of 82 cattle claimed to be the property of a Co Westmeath livestock exporter.
Anglo East Limited, of Kilmaglish, Knockdrin, Mullingar, which supplies cattle to foreign markets, claims it sold 82 Belgian Blues and Limousin and Charolais crosses aged between six months and a year to John Hallissey, of altavilla, Creeves, Askeaton, and has not been paid.
Anglo East's sales and transport manager Paolo Garavelli told the court Mr Hallissey normally supplied the company with cattle he bought at marts in the south west. On this occasion the company had agreed to sell him 82 cattle which he was to pay for by March 20th at the latest but had failed to do so.
Mr Garavelli said that when Anglo East phoned demanding final payment on March 20th last Mr Hallissey had replied: "What cattle? The only cattle I have are those you gave me to compensate me for the money I lost when a customer of mine in Italy didn't pay me for cattle I sent him last summer because you set me up."
He had also added: “Don’t bother sending trucks down to Askeaton to collect the cattle, you won’t find them. The best of luck in trying to find them.”
Mr Garavelli said it was a complete shock to him. He had no involvement whatsoever in any dealings between Mr Hallissey and his Italian client last summer.
He told the High Court that Anglo East had transported the cattle to Mr Hallissey’s premises and when cattle travel their passports and documents travelled with them. All of the cattle were now registered in Mr Hallissey’s name and he could slaughter, sell, export or otherwise dispose of them with impunity, permanently depriving Anglo East of any chance of recovering them.
Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy had granted Anglo East an interim injunction restraining Mr Hallissey and told Lyons Kennedy solicitors for Anglo East they could warn him by e-mail of the making of the order.
Ross Maguire, SC, who appeared with barrister Elaine Power for Anglo East, told Mr Justice Robert Haughton during a brief mention of the proceedings that the matter could be adjourned by consent for just over a week to allow Mr Hallissey file an affidavit replying to Mr Garavelli's claims.