Farmer released from prison after vowing to comply
HAVING spent a few hours in Mountjoy Prison, a Marshalstown farmer has once again walked free from the Four Courts having vowed to abide by terms imposed by the High Court to stay away from lands at Lodgewood, Ferns. John Kinsella of Ballywilliamroe, Marshalstown, had been jailed over a refusal to comply with a high court order not to trespass or come within 100m of the lands, after he allegedly used his vehicles to block access to the land.
The orders were obtained against Kinsella by Screen vegetable growers John B Dockrell Ltd who purchased the lands formerly owned by Kinsella from a so-called ‘vulture fund’. Kinsella presented himself at Mountjoy Prison on Wednesday morning, before going before Mr Justice Meenan to purge his contempt on Wednesday afternoon.
The judge directed that he be released after he told Mr Kinsella that the court required ‘a straight yes or no’ if he was going to comply with the order.
Mr Kinsella said he had ‘no choice’ other than to comply.
Benedict Ó Flionn Bl, representing John B Dockrell, told the court that obstructions in the form of a trailer and rocks were preventing access to and from the land, and the Judge made orders allowing the obstructions to be removed.
When Mr Kinsella said the trailer ‘isn’t mine’, the judge said he didn’t have to worry about it, and representatives of the owner could remove it.
The Judge, who was also told Mr Kinsella intends to contest the orders against him, adjourned the case to a date in October.
The origins of the case stem from an injunction taken out by John B Dockrell Ltd who had purchased the 150 acres of land in 2017. The company, of Monroe, Screen, says that since then, Kinsella has been entering the lands without permission and has even illegally ploughed the lands.
The case gained further attention after the company stated that Kinsella had used chains and large concrete blocks to prevent access to the lands and erected signs at the entrances referring to ‘Vulture Funds and land grabbers’ and threatening that ‘trespassers will be shot’.
John B Dockrell Ltd have said that Kinsella’s actions have caused them a direct financial loss and orders were made by the court for Kinsella to stay away from the lands.