Receiver appointed to sell mobile home associated with extortion case

A receiver has been appointed to sell off a mobile home that belonged to a man associated with extortion from builders working for Dublin City Council in return for protection.

Justice Carmel Stewart at the High Court also gave permission for four bank accounts containing more than €250,000 to be taken over by the liquidator.

The High Court has previously heard that Derek “Dee Dee” O’Driscoll of Croftwood Grove, Ballyfermot and his “enforcer” David Reilly of nearby Croftwood Park charged firms building houses for the council between €1,200 and €1,500 a week to protect their sites from vandalism and anti-social behaviour.

Benedict O’Floinn SC for the State told Justice Stewart that O’Driscoll and Reilly could go with a garda to the mobile home to pick up any personal belongings before the sale.

However, John Noonan for the respondents said his clients were not willing to be “frogmarched” to the home by a garda as they believe gardaí want to use the opportunity to “put them under pressure” and to abuse, embarrass or humiliate them.

The judge agreed to allow the two men to go to the mobile home with a garda and compile a list of items that they would like the liquidator to make available to them.

A horsebox that was seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) but which neither respondent claimed ownership of will also be sold off.

O’Driscoll has 20 previous convictions, including for bribing a garda, violent disorder and perverting the course of justice.