Jail threat for family over Mannok protests

Members of a Co Fermanagh family are facing contempt proceedings for allegedly breaching High Court undertakings about protests connected to the company formerly owned by Sean Quinn.
By The Newsroom
Published 11th Feb 2022, 07:54 BST
The Mannok premisesThe Mannok premises
The Mannok premises

Directors of Mannok are seeking permission to pursue cases against Sean and Patrick McGovern.

A judge warned yesterday that any ultimate finding of contempt could result in imprisonment.

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In August 2020 the McGoverns gave voluntary undertakings not to protest in areas where they could be seen by senior representatives of the firm.

They also pledged that any placards used in future would not contain the names of the executives, or make any accusations against them.

Legal action was taken by the firm, previously known as Quinn Industrial Holdings, after members of the family reportedly staged protests at its head offices in Derrylin.

The incidents were said to linked to the detention of another relative on charges of assaulting two Mannok directors back in February 2019.

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Amateur boxer Bernard McGovern, 25, from Springtown Road in Kinawley, was subsequently convicted and jailed for attacking Kevin Lunney and Dara O’Reilly at a Co Cavan service station.

The undertakings were given as part of a settlement reached in a civil action for alleged trespass and harassment.

But the company returned to the High Court yesterday for a preliminary hearing, seeking permission to bring contempt proceedings against Sean and Patrick McGovern.

The case was adjourned without any further details being disclosed after a solicitor for one of the defendants came off record.

Mr Justice McAlinden assured Patrick McGovern that he would be given time to find another lawyer.