A well-known Donegal developer who spent the holiday period in Mountjoy Prison has walked free after he agreed not to trespass on land where 50 social housing units are to be built.
The Irish Times reports that Brendan Gildea from Brookside, Magheranan Letterkenny, was jailed shortly before Christmas after he was found to be in contempt of High Court orders not to trespass or prevent access to land in Kiltoy, Letterkenny.
The property is owned by CR Renaissance Properties Ltd who are selling it to Cluid Housing Association in a €6.2m deal, which intends to build 50 social housing units.
The court heard the land was purchased by Brendan Gildea Ltd, a company owned and operated by Brendan Gildea, in 2006.
A receiver was appointed over the assets of Brendan Gildea Ltd in 2011, who sold the land to CR Renaissance in 2014.
Represented by Niall O’Neill BL, the owners and a related company Roarty Developments Ltd obtained orders against Mr Gildea and his son Noel of Glenview Close, Lismonaghan, Letterkenny.
The injunctions were sought after the Gildeas allegedly placed a container on the lands, which put the proposed sale of the property at risk, in June of last year.
A ‘no trespass’ sign, allegedly signed by the Gildeas, was also placed on the site, it was claimed.
The applicant’s solicitors further received letters from Noel Gildea alleging that parts of the lands had been purchased by his father.
Last July, the High Court granted various orders, including injunctions compelling the Gildea’s to remove the container and cease trespassing and blocking access to the land or from interfering with the sale process.
However, the applicants returned to court in September claiming that the Gildeas had made no effort to comply with the order and were in contempt of Court.
The matter was mentioned before the court on several occasions, but on December 18th, the Gildeas were committed to Mountjoy Prison after Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds found them in contempt of court.