A bankrupt solicitor who owes more than £52million to a bank was ‘barricaded in’ at his mansion, a court heard. Brian O’Donnell and his doctor wife Mary Pat – who once controlled a vast global property empire – have fought attempts by Bank of Ireland to recover the millions for the past four years. At midday on Monday, bank-appointed receiver Tom Kavanagh was due to take possession of Gorse Hill in Killiney, south Dublin, by order of the Supreme Court. Property tycoon Brian O'Donnell and his wife Mary Pat, who have fought attempts by the Bank of Ireland to recover the £52million they owe . John Marton, a member of the anti-repossession group Land League stand at the gates to Mr O'Donnell's Dublin mansion, where he has barricaded himself in . A bank-appointed receiver was due to take possession of Gorse Hill in Killiney, south Dublin, pictured, by order of the Supreme Court . And members of anti-repossession group, the Land League, congregated at the O’Donnells’ south Dublin fortress. But now O'Donnell has been accused of trespassing on the property as he refused to leave the mansion. It came after a trespass notice was nailed to the front gate of the mansion by representatives of the receivers and O'Donnell was asked to leave the house immediately. But in a fresh case by O'Donnell's children, they claim the bank ‘fraudulently’ secured the €70million (£52million) judgment against their parents and therefore the house cannot be seized on foot of that court order, made in December 2011. Cian Ferriter SC, for the bank, said the O’Donnells’ claims were ‘utterly wild’. He described the notion of any conspiracy by the bank and its advisers against the family as ‘deluded’. The court heard that the four offspring had in fact surrendered their rights over their home yesterday morning – but that their father was now occupying the property. Representatives thought to be from the receiver's office nail a trespass notice to the front gate of O'Donnell's home in Dublin . The notice means that Mr O'Donnell now stands accused of trespassing after refusing to leave the property immediately under orders by the court . Rossa Fanning, for the receiver, told the court: ‘The property has been barricaded in this afternoon.’ The court heard that in a written statement, Brian O’Donnell had threatened to call gardaí (police) if the bank’s receiver ‘should harass us’. His statement, read to the court by Mr Ferriter, said: ‘My wife and I have a right of residence in Gorse Hill... Should Tom Kavanagh harass us at the property on March 2, we will call the police.’ Mr Ferriter told the court he understood that protesters from the Land League organisation had ‘erected some sort of barricade at the property’. He added: ‘We understand a member of the family is in the house, Brian O’Donnell. ‘This is the type of behaviour orchestrated by the O’Donnell family is in the face of what the Supreme Court determined. We are most troubled by that.’ John Martin from the Land League pictured at the front door to Gorse Hill, where Mr O'Donnell has barricaded himself in . Mr Ferriter pointed out that the couple had previously stated they were permanent residents of London, but were ‘now moving back in’ to the Dublin home. Blake O’Donnell, 31, told the court the bank was ‘attempting to remove us from the property and seize it’. He said Bank of Ireland had ‘run our family into the courts to try and get judgments and seize our assets from us.’ Blake added his parents ‘are in occupation of the property at the moment’ and they have a ‘right of residence’. He added: ‘Myself and my siblings, we have left. It was in the media we were going to be thrown out of the house and I understand a group of protesters have turned up to protest peacefully. 'This idea people are barricaded in, I don’t know anything about that. I think it’s sensationalism by the media.’ Mr Justice Brian McGovern said he will give his ruling on the fresh lawsuit today. Meanwhile, at the gates of Brian O’Donnell’s lavish Vico Road home last night, the situation escalated after an intense stand-off between the receivers and campaigners. Shortly after 6.15pm, a blacked-out eight-seater van pulled up outside Gorse Hill. Speaking through a small crack in the thick wooden gates and high walls, Tom Kavanagh, a receiver from Kavanagh Fennell, asked Land League campaigners who they were. Mr Kavanagh asked the campaigners who owned the red car that blocked the front gate outside Mr O’Donnell’s property. The receiver was told sharply by one campaigner that the car belonged to the ‘car’s owners’. The campaigner said he was not prepared to give his name or the names of his associates. But Jerry Beades of the Land League told the Mail yesterday: ‘We are just helping the [O’Donnell] family as we do any family facing eviction.’ After several minutes, Mr Kavanagh and three other people left the front gate. The campaigners said it ‘seems likely’ they will stay for the night behind the heavy gates, however, they refused to identify themselves or how many were there when asked by the Mail. A red car has been parked at the gates to Gorse Hill to block the property, where anti-eviction campaigners are camped outside . As the snow began to fall and temperatures plummeted, the campaigners made their way out on to the quiet south Dublin road. One campaigner said they were going to get food before settling in for the night as he told others behind the wall that they would change shifts every four or five hours. The O’Donnell couple built up a global property empire worth close to €1billion (£732million) and at the height of the boom, it seemed the world was theirs for the taking. But when the recession hit and the flow of bank credit stopped, Mr O’Donnell and his wife Mary Pat found themselves being pursued for millions that they simply didn’t have. Their Dublin home – referred to by some locals as ‘Dallas’ – is set on 3.5 acres with stunning views of Killiney Bay, it comes with its own tennis court and swimming pool. The six-bedroom house also boasts a gym and sauna, snooker room and wine store. Reportedly worth €30million (£22million) during the boom, its value has plummeted to about €7million (£5.1million). The Gorse Hill mansion, which boast six bedrooms, a gym, a sauna, a snooker room, a wine store and views over the Bay of Killiney . February 2011: Bank of Ireland sues solicitor Brian O’Donnell and his doctor wife Mary Patricia – who invested in high-end property worldwide during the boom – for the return of loans of almost €70million in the High Court’s commercial wing. March 2011: The couple settle the case on the basis they will pay back the millions by November 2011. December 12, 2011: High Court hears the couple have not paid up. Bank of Ireland wins an ‘enforcement’ order giving it the power to take control of any of the couple’s assets anywhere in Europe. December 29, 2011: Mr and Mrs O’Donnell board a ferry to the UK and set up home in London, before applying to the High Court there for bankruptcy protection. April 2012: Bank sends lawyers to the family home, Gorse Hill, to catalogue its contents – including artwork, antiques and rugs – with a view to taking possession of the property. May 2012: Bank of Ireland launches a court action against the O’Donnell children, Alexandra, Blaise, Blake and Bruce, as part of its efforts to secure return of the money. October 2012: The four offspring launch a rearguard action against the bank in an effort to hang onto the home they grew up in. September 2013: Mr and Mrs O’Donnell declared bankrupt by the High Court in Dublin, despite their claim to have moved their ‘centre of main interest’ for business purposes to London. They appeal the decision to the Supreme Court. December 19, 2014: Supreme Court rules the four siblings can no longer lay any claim to Gorse Hill. February 2, 2015: Blaise, Alexandra, Blake and Bruce are told to vacate the property by midday on Monday, March 2. February 25, 2015: Mr and Mrs O’Donnell are confirmed as bankrupts in the Republic after the Supreme Court rejects their appeal. March 2, 2015: Gorse Hill is surrendered by the four children. But a court hears that Brian O’Donnell is asserting a ‘right of residence’ and is ‘in occupation’, while anti-eviction protesters gather outside the property. Meanwhile, his four children launch a new lawsuit against Bank of Ireland seeking to hang on to the house and cancel their parents’ debt.
Irish tycoon Brian O'Donnell once controlled a vast global property empire . But he has been declared bankrupt and owes Bank of Ireland £52million . Receivers have tried to take possession of his £7million Dublin mansion . But O'Donnell has now barricaded himself in the property, refusing to leave . He also stands accused of trespass as he won't come out of the mansion . It comes after receivers posted a trespass notice on the property's gates .