Anti-eviction activist Allen arrested in Co Cork

Anti-eviction activist Charles Allen snr is expected to appear in the High Court today or tomorrow after he was arrested in Co Cork.

Mr Allen, with an address in Inistioge, Co Kilkenny, was arrested on the grounds of Lotamore House in Co Cork yesterday afternoon.

He is being held at Mayfield Garda station in Cork.

A bench warrant was issued for Mr Allen on September 27th for contempt after he failed to appear in court to answer allegations that he, along with a number of others, trespassed on and illegally occupied a Co Kildare stud farm.

During that hearing Mr Justice Sean Ryan said Mr Allen should be arrested and brought before the High Court to answer claims he was in contempt of court orders in respect of 120 acres of land at Kennycourt Stud, Naas, in Co Kildare.

Counsel for the receivers said Mr Allen stated the farm was now the property of an entity called the Rodolphus Allen Family Private Trust.

Mr Allen, counsel said, had being approaching people around the country who had difficulties with banks or had judgments registered against them.

In an attempt to avoid losing their properties, people signed over their properties to an entity created by Mr Allen. The trust, which counsel said is a “legal fabrication”, then granted the signatories a 999 year lease over the same properties.

Joint receivers Mark Reynolds and Glenn Crann, who were appointed over the property owned by Eugene McDermott in 2011, began proceedings against Mr Allen and two others, who they said had breached court orders not to trespass or interfere with the receivership.

Anglo Irish Bank appointed Mr Crann and Mr Reynolds, of Savills Ireland, as receivers over the lands arising out of Mr McDermott’s failure to repay €814,000 owed to the bank.

The court was told a “mob” of more than 100 people alleged led by Mr Allen and another man took possession of the stud farm on August 31st last.

Last week Mr McDermott voluntarily appeared before the High Court to apologise for his actions during the angry anti-repossession protests.

Mr McDermott wished to apologise and was also prepared to ask the protesters who had come on to his lands at Kennycourt Stud, Brannockstown, Naas, “to desist”.

Mr Justice Brian McGovern said he would not jail him and quashed an arrest warrant issued for him.

Mr Allen, counsel said, was photographed cutting locks, placed by the receiver’s security staff, put on gates at the stud farm.

Mr Justice Ryan ordered Mr Allen be arrested and brought before the court to answer the claim he has breached court orders.