A leading chef, Mr Conrad Gallagher, has failed to stop his trial for the alleged theft of three paintings from going ahead as planned next Tuesday at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Lawyers for Mr Gallagher argued before Judge Elizabeth Dunne that the chef had married a woman from the US last month and was in the process of applying for US citizenship.
Judge Dunne refused the application because she had set the trial date last July. "Unless Mr Gallagher got married on the strength of a fleeting glance across a room then he would have known about his wedding in July. Nothing was said to me," she said.
"If he wants to treat the courts with that kind of attitude, so be it. He has already received more than enough leeway in this matter."
In July the trial date was listed for October 15th after the court heard he would be pleading not guilty.
Mr Gallagher, formerly of Killiney Hill Road, Killiney, is facing charges in relation to three paintings which he allegedly sold in December 2000.
The paintings were claimed to be the property of the Fitzwilliam Hotel, St Stephen's Green, Dublin, which was the location of Mr Gallagher's Peacock Alley Restaurant.
Mr Gallagher was arrested by gardaí and questioned at Harcourt Terrace station about the alleged theft of the paintings. He was later charged in Dublin District Court and sent forward for trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
At a previous court sitting, his counsel said the chef and restaurateur was in New York and unfit to travel. Judge Dunne was told then that Mr Gallagher had had a ticket to return from New York a number of weeks before but did not do so on medical advice. There was a report in court. He later appeared court to hear his trial date being fixed by Judge Dunne and was remanded on continuing bail.