A judge has told a father in maintenance arrears for his two children that if he doesn’t pay out €1,500 by Wednesday, he will be going to prison.
In January, Judge Gabbett rejected the man’s court application to have the €300 maintenance reduced and told the man that he has a report “that tells me that you are living in a spacious five-bedroomed house and your ex-wife is living in a vermin-infested house with your two children”. Ms Moylan said that in total, the maintenance arrears are €3,450 made up of €1,500 owed on the summons and a further €1,950.
Judge Gabbett told the man: “You are now in the criminal arena and you are committing offences of contempt as far as the court is concerned.”The man said that the family home has nothing to do with the maintenance and that his wife voluntarily left the home.