Jackson Way company claims damages over freezing order

Alleges its rights were breached

A High Court challenge by a company of businessman Jim Kennedy to the imposition of a freezing order on lands at Carrickmines rezoned allegedly as a result of corruption will be heard in June.
A High Court challenge by a company of businessman Jim Kennedy to the imposition of a freezing order on lands at Carrickmines rezoned allegedly as a result of corruption will be heard in June.

A High Court challenge by a company of businessman Jim Kennedy to the imposition of a freezing order on lands at Carrickmines rezoned allegedly as a result of corruption will be heard in June.

Jackson Way Properties Ltd (JWPL), of which Mr Kennedy is a director, claims the Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) wrongfully obtained the freezing order on 17.6 acres in Carrickmines, Co Dublin, in 2006.

The company claims it has suffered loss and damage as a result of the order, which prohibited the disposal of the land by JWPL. It alleges the order breached its rights under the Constitution and European Convention on Human Rights.

The Cab denies the claims.

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The case was before Mr Justice George Birmingham yesterday to deal with document discovery issues in advance of the full hearing. The judge said the case should be mentioned again some weeks before the June 18th hearing date to ensure it was ready to proceed as scheduled.

The Cab had in October 2010 brought High Court proceedings against JWPL seeking to have certain lands owned by the company at Carrickmines forfeited to the State on grounds of corrupt enrichment arising out of rezoning decisions.

The case opened before the late Mr Justice Kevin Feeney but was put on hold when Mr Kennedy was arrested that same day and later charged with bribing councillors for rezoning votes.