Quinn family to request compassionate leave for Sean Quinn
Sean Quinn’s solicitor Kevin Winters has said the Quinn family will make a formal request to the Prison Service for compassionate release so his client can attend his granddaughter’s christening.
Former billionaire is behind bars this evening for contempt of court to serve nine weeks in Mountjoy Prison, but he is hoping to get the compassionate leave on December 22.
Sean Quinn's eyes welled up as he thanked his supporters in court six before he was brought by prison van to Mountjoy jail.
He has been found guilty of outrageous contempt of court orders aimed at stopping assets being moved beyond the reach of the former Anglo Irish Bank.
Ms Justice Elizabeth Dunne acknowledged the toll these proceedings have taken on the 66-year-old but said in her view, "he has only himself to blame".
The former billionaire is appealing the contempt findings to the Supreme Court but opted not to look for a stay on his sentence.
Sean Quinn admits his family have done stupid things but he defiantly asserted to reporters before being led away "they took all my money, my companies, my reputation and they put me in jail - yet they've proved nothing".
Stormont’s Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said the banks have a lot to answer for.
“I don’t think anybody who has commented on the career of Sean Quinn has disputed in any way the remarkable contribution that he made toward the employment prospects of people in the border counties and many people have rightly applauded him for giving those people employment,” he added at the North South Ministerial Council meeting in Armagh.
“I can’t comment on a court case, as a minister I think it would be totally inappropriate, other than to say that I think the banks have an awful lot to answer for.”
