Owners of demolished Meath house swear not to interfere with ongoing clean-up works at site

High Court reporter

The owners of a now-demolished house built without planning permission almost two decades ago have sworn in the High Court not to interfere with ongoing clean-up works at the site.

Chris and Rose Murray appeared before Judge Richard Humphreys on Monday after gardaí arrested them at the Four Courts on foot of a court order for their attachment.

The Murray’s arrest followed the judge’s finding that they were in civil contempt of undertakings to give Meath County Council vacant possession of their house at Faughan Hill, Bohermeen, Co Meath.

The couple mounted five unsuccessful retention bids, and three failed appeals to keep the 588sq m (6,220sq ft) home intact. The Murrays’ attempts to save the house failed last November when the Supreme Court declined to hear the case.

The house was demolished last week after the council took possession of it.

At Monday’s hearing, the judge discharged the order of attachment against the Murrays after they gave various undertakings under oath.

In addition to swearing not to interfere with the council’s ongoing works at the site, the Murrays swore they would assist gardaí in identifying third parties who may seek to obstruct the works.

The court heard evidence from a garda witness of purported threats made to contractors working at the demolition site. No formal complaint was made to the Garda in respect of the alleged incidents, the court heard.

Neil McNelis, a solicitor for the Murrays, stressed his clients disassociated themselves from any acts of criminality or unlawful interference.

In the witness box, Chris Murray said the property was his “until it was flattened” last week, and was now “a ball of rubble”.

He said that he wanted to get out of the court with his wife and return to his family. He also referred to the repossession of the house last week, claiming his children were dragged from the kitchen table by masked men.

Rose Murray, in the witness box, said there was no property left, that it was a pile of rubble.

Det Sgt Mark Looby gave evidence of arresting the Murrays at the Four Court prior to Monday's hearing.

The detective also gave evidence of complaints raised by contract workers at the demolition site.

He said he was aware a haulage subcontractor received a call on Friday from an individual with a “Northern Irish accent”. The contractor described how the caller advised him not to “have anything to do” with removing rubble from the site, the detective said.

The caller said that if an individual named “the Bull” heard of the contractor moving rumble, "there will be nothing left of his own home”, the detective said.

The haulage company withdrew their services as a result, the court heard.

Looby said he was also aware of an alleged incident involving a security van being burned out near the property.

McNelis, for the Murrays, complained to the judge that he was not on notice of the detective’s evidence, and said it was “hearsay on hearsay”. The judge said the evidence was being heard “de bene esse”, or provisionally, without determining admissibility.

He added that it served his client no benefit for people to “indulge in criminality”.

The Murrays are seeking to bring a case to the European Court of Human Rights, claiming a breach of their rights.

The case returns next month.