Credit card debt judgment granted against Dublin solicitor

Judgment for €24,494 on foot of a credit card debt has been granted in the Circuit Civil Court against well-known Dublin solicitor Conleth Pendred, principal of AC Pendred Solicitors.

Judge Jacqueline Linnane told Mr Pendred's counsel, Andrew Fergus, on Wednesday that Mr Pendred might have received more objective advice if he had been represented by an independent solicitor rather than his own firm.

The judge said Mr Pendred had acknowledged the debt three times in an affidavit he had provided to the court and was now looking for an adjournment in order to put a repayment plan to Bank of Ireland.

She said Mr Pendred in his affidavit had disclosed that he had a loan from Bank of Ireland Mortgage Bank, a close associate of Bank of Ireland, with regard to a property he owned in Co Wexford. Proceedings had been taken out against him in Wexford Circuit Court which, she said, would suggest he had difficulties there.

Barrister Daniel Donnelly, who appeared with Croskerrys Solicitors for Bank of Ireland, said the application for judgment before the court was not a case where there was a defence to the action and he urged Judge Linnane to make an order for summary judgment in the sum of €24,494.20 and costs.

Mr Donnelly said the granting of the judgment would not impair Mr Pendred in pursuing his suggestion of making a request to the lender with regard to a repayment agreement.

No defence

Judge Linnane said there was clearly no defence whatsoever to the bank’s application for judgment and Mr Pendred was seeking time to put a payment plan to them. Since the proceedings had been served on him in June 2018 he had plenty of time to furnish a repayment proposal.

“He has acknowledged he is not able to discharge this sum in one payment . . . and has also made reference to proceedings against him down in Wexford which would indicate there may be a problem there,” Judge Linnane said.

She said he had introduced this information himself to the court and she was granting judgment together with costs against him. She put a stay of six weeks on execution of the judgment which would give him further time to put a payment proposal to the bank.