Revenue secures receiver for SUV dealers

THE REVENUE Commissioners have secured a court order appointing a receiver after expressing concerns valuable SUVs and company records may be moved from premises in Co Longford by two brothers from whom some €10 million is sought for alleged unpaid taxes.

Mr Justice Peter Kelly appointed the receiver yesterday after being told the Revenue Special Enforcement Unit, which has been maintaining surveillance on premises of Pauric and John Kane at Granard, Co Longford, had concerns about vehicles leaving the premises in recent days and also feared a possible attempt to falsify or destroy records.

Gary McCarthy, for the Revenue, said there was no trust between the Revenue and the Kanes and he was pressing for the appointment of William O’Riordan of PriceWaterhouse Coopers as receiver to ensure against any attempted dissipation of assets or records.

The Revenue was also concerned about the bona fides of a company, Carhill Car Sales, Coleraine, Co Derry, which has brought an application in relation to securing five vehicles on the forecourt of the Kanes’ premises, counsel said.

A Revenue investigator believed Carhill had been intimately involved with a scheme of evasion of tax by the Kanes, Mr McCarthy said. The Kanes had not disputed Revenue assertions that they bought vehicles from Carhill and sold those on to customers in this jurisdiction with invoices falsified to suggest customers bought vehicles directly from Carhill, thereby avoiding VAT here, he added.

Customers had confirmed to the Revenue they bought vehicles from the Kanes and had never heard of Carhill, counsel said.

Counsel earlier this week secured an order freezing the assets of both brothers below some €10.1 million. Mr Justice Kelly granted that order after being told both brothers had withdrawn appeals against assessments raised against them over unpaid taxes.

Yesterday, Hugh Mohan SC, for the Kanes and Carhill, said the Kanes were prepared to give undertakings to co-operate with Mr O’Riordan, to provide a full inventory of assets and to not take any actions to alter the status quo. Mr Justice Kelly said it appeared the Revenue “didn’t believe a word” said by the defendants.