Tipperary pensioner challenges court decision to jail him.

 


A Tipperary pensioner is challenging a District Court judge's decision to jail him for three months for failing to pay up following a judgement against him for €18,000.

77 year old John Hyland from Clonmore, Cashel claimed in the High Court that Judge Terence Finn's decision to jail him was unreasonable, disproportionate and irrational.

His counsel, Michelle Smith De Bruin, told the court her client could not pay the debt.

She said the action had been brought on grounds including that Judge Finn had not taken Mr Hyland's medical condition into account, had imposed the maximum sentence possible and had fixed bail at €18,000 on a civil debt of €18,000.

John Hyland has moderate-to-severe dementia.