U2 star tells court housekeeper may have taken €1.8m
U2 bass player Adam Clayton.
U2 BASS player Adam Clayton yesterday won a court order freezing the assets of his former housekeeper over allegations that she may have misappropriated €1.8m from him.
The assets of Carol Hawkins, of Crannagh Road, Dublin 14, will remain frozen until next Monday after Miss Justice Mary Laffoy told Mr Clayton's lawyers that the case could be brought back before the High Court on that day.
Syndicate
She has denied using the money to buy property, flash cars and jewellery, the court heard. It appeared an apartment had been bought in New York and that €900 per month was spent on a syndicate which maintained horses, the court was also told.
Mr Clayton of Danesmoate Demesne, Kellystown Road, Rathfarnham, Dublin, first became aware of problems in September last year, Paul Sreenan, counsel for Mr Clayton, told the court.
Mr Sreenan said Ms Hawkins confessed she had misappropriated €13,000 of Mr Clayton's money.
He had dealt with this in "a compassionate manner" and had altered his financial arrangements accordingly and kept her on in employment, the court heard.
However, it had emerged since then that Ms Hawkins, without the authorisation of Mr Clayton, had used his debit and credit cards for her own use and for her family's benefit, counsel said.
On November 19, when the allegations were put to her, she had accepted the cards had been used and that money was taken without Mr Clayton's authorisation but she had disputed the sums involved, Mr Sreenan said.
Her employment had been terminated and certain matters had been referred to the gardai, counsel added.
Mr Sreenan said Ms Hawkins had denied she bought a house, cars or flashy jewellery.
When it was suggested to her she had been withdrawing about €600 twice daily for a period of 13 months, she said she had used it as needed.
She also acknowledged she had lodged some money into her own bank account and had breached her contract.
Investigation
Counsel said an investigation had revealed around €900 per month was spent on a syndicate which maintained horses.
Mr Sreenan also said flights to Chicago were bought for her son and members of a band in which he was involved in.
These bookings were not authorised by Mr Clayton.
An investigation by two accountants, including Kieran Wallace of KPMG, had reported that sums of up to €1.8m seemed to have been misappropriated, counsel added.
It appeared that an apartment in New York had been bought and Mr Clayton was concerned assets might be dissipated, and this was why he was seeking the assets freezing order. Ms Justice Laffoy said she would grant the interim orders sought against Ms Hawkins and returned the case to Monday.
The order restrains Ms Hawkins from reducing her assets below €1.8m and also entitles her to a total of €1,000 for living and legal expenses until the matter returns to court next week.
There was better news for Mr Clayton yesterday when 'Billboard Magazine' named U2 as the second biggest touring act of the decade. Surpassed only by the Rolling Stones, U2 earned more than $844m (€588m) playing for 9.8 million fans at 288 shows during the past decade.
- Ken Sweeney Entertainment Reporter
Irish Independent
