A warrant for the arrest and committal to prison remains in place for former show jumper James Buckley after he failed to present in person to the High Court this week over a court order to vacate Emerald Equestrian Centre.

Buckley, his wife Paula and their tenant Hazel Kiely had refused to vacate after the High Court ruled they had no legal right to remain at the property, and that to do so amounted to trespassing.

The dispute arose following earlier protracted High Court proceedings during which the property’s owner, Caroline Teltsch, successfully sued the Buckleys over ownership of the equestrian centre and other financial dealings between the parties. Teltsch told the High Court that Buckley persuaded her to buy the property, which she did for €446,212 from the Criminal Assets Bureau when it was confiscated from convicted criminal John Gilligan, but that Buckley persuaded her to keep her name off the title deeds due to Gilligan’s notoriety.

Teltsch also claimed the defendants befriended her and convinced her to invest in a number of business ventures, including the equestrian centre, before exploiting and defrauding her.

When Teltsch later asked Buckley to transfer the property into her name, Buckley refused.

In 2024, the Court found that James and Paula Buckley had unjustly enriched themselves with Ms Teltsch’s money and ordered them to pay her over €830,000 in damages. “The First Defendant in particular (James Buckley) has abused the trust and confidence which the Plaintiff invested in him, using her property for his own benefit and without regard to her interests,” the 2024 judgement stated.

Teltsch also obtained orders for the Buckleys to leave the property. The Buckleys refused to do so, however Paula Buckley and Hazel Kiely have since agreed to vacate this October. Subsequently, an arrest order against Kiely has been discharged.

On Tuesday of this week, when Buckley appeared before the High Court by videolink, wherein the court noted he likely is staying in Northern Ireland, he continued to refuse to vacate, and the Court maintained the order for his arrest and committal to Mountjoy Prison.

Acting for Teltsch, Donnacha Anhold confirmed that the Court was clear that the committal order against Buckley was valid and will be enforced if he is found in the jurisdiction of the Republic of Ireland. He can still attend court personally to purge his contempt (i.e comply with the order to vacate) and to give his sworn undertaking to abide by the Court orders.

Mr Anhold also confirmed that judge Brian Cregan granted an order dismissing four sets of proceedings initiated by Buckley, his wife, Kiely and a fourth defendant, Stephen O’Reilly. In the case of O’Reilly, the Court this week separately found him in contempt of Court after he too refused to agreed to leave a property that he is occupying located close to the Emerald Centre and an order was also made for his committal to Mountjoy.

Carter Anhold & Co also obtained orders for costs against the Buckleys and O’Reilly. The costs order against Kiely will be vacated provided that she vacates the Property by October 31st at 1pm.