Sean Quinn Jailed For Contempt Of Court

Sean Quinn Senior has been jailed for failing to comply with a court order to overturn a multimillion-euro asset-stripping plot.

A judge at Dublin's High Court said she had no choice but to sentence the former-tycoon to nine weeks in prison.

This summer, Mr Quinn, his son Sean Junior and nephew Peter Darragh Quinn were ordered not to put the family's 500 million euro (£400m) fortune beyond the reach of the former Anglo Irish Bank.

But although the 66-year-old initially avoided prison, Ms Justice Elizabeth Dunne said Mr Quinn had committed a serious contempt of court by not reversing the scheme.

She described his attitude as evasive and unco-operative, adding that with regards to the jail sentence "he has only himself to blame".

The founder of Quinn Insurance, who also owned an international property empire, declared himself bankrupt last year over debts of 2.8bn euro (£2.24bn) to the now-nationalised Anglo bank.

He racked up huge losses on secret stock investments in the bank as its share price collapsed.

The family admit they owe 455m euros (£364m) to the bank - rebranded the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation - but deny owing the rest and have launched a counter-case.

Mr Quinn Jr was freed from prison two weeks ago after serving a three-month sentence for contempt of court, while Darragh Quinn has avoided going to prison to date, despite a similar sentence imposed in July.