Brian O'Donnell has told the High Court that coverage of his legal battle over the Gorse Hill mansion in South Dublin is an “absolute circus”.
Mr O'Donnell – who is representing himself in court – has already had an application to have the Judge stand aside from the case rejected.
Bank of Ireland and receivers are seeking a trespass injunction against Mr O'Donnell and his wife Mary Patricia – who owe the bank over €70 million.
Brian O'Donnell appeared at the High Court this morning accompanied by his son Blake after leaving the Gorse Hill property at centre of this legal battle earlier this morning.
Mr O'Donnell who is representing himself in court immediately sought to have Mr Justice Brian McGovern recuse himself from proceedings – because of a financial partnership the judge's wife and her siblings were previously involved with. That was rejected – and the judge said the application had no legal basis – and he regrets that an issue which has already been dealt with was brought up.
Mr O'Donnell told the court that 65 journalists are camped outside the house at the centre of the dispute on the Vico Road and says Gardaí have had to do drive-bys to protect the family.
Lawyers for Bank of Ireland told the court that Brian and Mary Patricia O'Donnell flew in from Surrey over the weekend – accusing them of using a 'tactical manoeuvre to frustrate the bank'.
There is no stateable legal basis for the right to reside and therefore they are trespassers, he told the court.
