An investor in a motor company was ordered yesterday by the High Court to deliver up nine vehicles, worth £100,000, which disappeared from a garage in Co Kildare following a break-in last month.
Mr Justice O'Sullivan granted an interlocutory injunction - an order applying until the trial of the action - to Alanisette Ltd, with registered offices at Dun Aengus, Old Bawn, Tallaght, Dublin, against Mr Anthony Egan, of Walkinstown Crescent, Dublin. Last week the court granted an interim injunction to Alanisette.
Mr Egan, who was not in court yesterday, was given liberty to apply to the court in connection with the order.
In an affidavit presented at the earlier hearing, Mr Christopher Gahan, managing director of Alanisette, said that Mr Egan had agreed in December last year to invest £20,000 in the business and later agreed to put up a further £17,000.
But in August this year, he said, Mr Egan told him he owed money to people and wanted his investment back immediately, Mr Gahan said. Mr Egan was told this was not possible as it would take time to sell the company's Japanese-imported vehicles. Mr Gahan said he subsequently received a telephone call from a man threatening dire consequences for him and his family unless the money was handed back immediately. Other men had contacted him and made threats. He said Mr Egan had told him that these men were friends of his (Mr Egan's) from the old days and that they would shoot Mr Gahan if necessary.
Mr Gahan said be believed that on September 28th last Mr Egan and two other persons had broken into his lock-up shop in Leinster Street, Athy, Co Kildare, and had unlawfully taken possession of nine motor vehicles valued at £100,000.
In court yesterday Mr Conor Kearney, for Alanisette, said the Garda had been informed of the disappearance of the vehicles but had apparently taken the view that the matter was for the court to decide.