The owner of an equestrian centre formerly run by the family of convicted gangster John Gilligan is seeking more than €1 million in damages from a Co Carlow couple due to an alleged fraud.
Caroline Teltsch, who ran a successful event management company, told the High Court on Tuesday that she advanced a large amount of loans to her former business partner James Buckley and his wife Paula.
She said the money was loaned for a variety of reasons, including to refurbish and run the Co Kildare facility formerly known as the Jessbrook Equestrian Centre, now renamed the Emerald Equestrian Centre. However, she claims she “never received a penny back” from the couple.
London-based Ms Teltsch claims the defendants, and in particular Mr Buckley, unjustly enriched themselves after committing acts of fraud, deceit and misrepresentation against her.
In her action against the couple, she seeks various orders, including judgment of more than €1 million against the couple over their alleged refusal to repay loans advanced on dates between 2010 and 2018.
She also claims the defendants unjustly enriched themselves at her expense by engaging in a protracted campaign of confidence trickery, emotional manipulation and financial exploitation during the relevant period.
She claims she was convinced by Mr Buckley to advance him loans to pay tax bills, including a payment to Revenue which Mr Buckley had claimed were about to repossess the equestrian centre.
Other loans, she claims were used to pay for a Jaguar XKR and a Mitsubishi Evo sports car Mr Buckley allegedly used for rallying, revenue bills, medical expenses, electricity bills, the costs of legal proceedings Mr Buckley was involved in, a deposit on a house, and flights to New York for their wedding.
Ms Teltsch also seeks declarations from the court that certain folios of land in Co Kildare near the centre are held in trust by Mr Buckley for the plaintiff, and that she is entitled to possession of a stallion called Louis, in which she has a 50 per cent stake.
The claim, which was not contested, came before Mr Justice Liam Kennedy on Tuesday.
The defendants, with an address at Hillview Stables, Ballymoon, Bagenalstown, Co Carlow, had denied all of the allegations against them.
Due to their failure to comply with a court order to disclose certain materials and documents to the plaintiff, Ms Teltsch’s lawyers successfully had the Buckleys’ defence and counterclaim struck out.
The Buckleys were not present in court for the hearing and no representations were made on their behalf.
Following the conclusion of evidence, the judge said he would deliver his judgment in the coming days.
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