Gardai 'found naked man being whipped on crucifix', court told

A Dublin businesswoman, who denies she ran the club as a brothel and for staging sadomasochistic practices, is to appeal a decision of Dublin county registrar Rita Considine striking out her bid to join a former manager to legal proceedings against her.

Forensic accountant and landlord Liam Grant has asked the Circuit Civil Court to direct that Hilda Conway forfeit her tenancy of a basement nightclub at 127 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin.

Quashing

Ms Conway, of Claremont Road, Sandymount, denies having been associated with the runn- ing of such activities in the club.

She had brought an application before the county registrar last week seeking to attach a former manager, Brendan McQuaid, and Baggot Street Bars to the proceedings aimed at quashing her tenancy.

She claimed in a sworn affidavit that if anyone was responsible for such activities, it was Mr McQuaid and Baggot Street Bars.

Ms Considine struck out Ms Conway's application last Friday at the request of barrister Martin Canny, counsel for Mr Grant, who said Ms Conway was not present or legally represented in the county registrar's court in order to make her attachment application.

Mr Grant, of Greenmount House, Harold's Cross, referred in sworn affidavits to what he described as "breaches of the utmost seriousness" against Ms Conway, and alleged that sex had been available to purchase in the club, which he described as a lap-dancing bar, strip club and brothel.

When barrister Andrew Walker, counsel for Ms Conway, appeared in the county registrar's court yesterday to explain why there had been no legal representation on behalf of Ms Conway, Ms Considine said she did not have time to hear any explanation as she had to deal with a very strictly timed list of motions listed in accordance with Covid-19 regulations being applied by the Courts Service.

Ms Considine said an application was made to her court last Friday in the absence of legal representation on behalf of the applicant. She had been asked to strike it out and had done so.

Ms Considine then moved on to motions published at timed intervals on her Tuesday list in order to keep down the number of people in court.

Speaking outside court afterwards, Mr Walker said the county registrar's decision to initially strike out Ms Conway's application was being appealed.

Mr Grant had earlier told the court that when Insp Martin Mooney led a raid on the club he had noticed a man, tied to a large crucifix, who was having his naked bottom whipped.

This was taking place in front of customers who were oddly dressed with few or no clothes on and wearing masks and carrying whips, he added.