Leading psychiatrist pays off $15,000 car crash debt to avoid forced sale of $1.4m North Adelaide mansion
THE forced auction of a $1.4 million North Adelaide mansion over an outstanding court debt has been cancelled after its owner made a last minute decision to pay the money.
AFTER four years and a $15,000 financial blow, Adelaide psychiatrist Helen Marmanidis has finally ended a court saga over a $2000 minor car crash, saving her $1.4 million North Adelaide mansion from being forceably sold at auction.
Leading psychiatrist Dr Helen Marmanidis’ Barton Terrace West home of 20 years was scheduled be auctioned at 11.30am on Friday unless she paid the debt by 10am.
It was to be the final chapter in an extraordinary battle that stemmed from her failure to repay $2084 owed to the RAA from a car crash nearly four years ago.
The Acting Sheriff of South Australia Steve Ferguson, released a statement on Friday afternoon confirming the sale was off.
“Notification of the clearance of the funds was received by the Courts Administration Authority this afternoon,” the statement read.
“Therefore, the auction will be cancelled and arrangements will be made for the return of the property.
“The amount paid will satisfy the judgment and costs.”
The RAA successfully obtained a Warrant of Sale of the 126-year-old Victorian era home last November and Ms Marmanidis, 61, was locked out of her property in May this year.
On Thursday Dr Marmanidis, who owns properties in Gilberton, Adelaide and North Adelaide, made a last-ditch application to the Adelaide Magistrates Court to delay the sale so she could challenge the judgment against her.
Magistrate Jane Schammer said she would not stay the sale unless Dr Marmanidis paid into the court $14,768.75 by 5pm on Thursday given “the lateness of this application and the substantial costs incurred”.
The Sheriff extended this deadline to 10am today.
Dr Marmanidis’ legal battle began in November 2012 when she allegedly reversed her 1994 BMW into an Alfa Romeo driven by Samuel Germein.
The crash, which Dr Marmanidis denies being involved in, damaged the vehicle’s rear bumper and Mr Germein successfully claimed on his RAA policy.
But the insurer had failed in repeated efforts to recover the accident costs, which had increased by last December to $3552 as interest, fees and other costs were added.
The RAA won its case in August 2013 but Dr Marmanidis had failed to pay or oppose the judgment and a Warrant of Sale was issued by the Supreme Court almost eight months ago.
Despite telling The Advertiser on Thursday evening that she had not yet decided whether she would settle the debt, she said she had paid the money on Thursday night,
She then withdrew a further $15,000 cash on Friday morning to ensure the debt was settled and the auction stopped.
“Do I regret that it has come to this — yes,” Mrs Marmanidis said.
“I think what swayed it (my decision to pay) was that there was no way in the world that I was ever going to be heard because the things I told the court yesterday, if they weren’t happy to listen to any of those things then chances are nothing will ever be heard.
“I do want to keep my house.”
Mrs Marmanidis said the whole experience had been emotionally draining.
“I’m actually coping relatively well I think, I think I am exceedingly pressured for someone that has been trying to hold down a practice for the last nine months,” she said.
Mrs Maranidis maintained she was never involved in an accident with Mr Germein and said she believed she had been victimised.
North Adelaide resident Ziggy Michalski, who attended the cancelled auction, said he was not surprised it didn’t go ahead.
“My wife’s going to be disappointed, she expected me to come home with a new house,” Mr Michalski said.
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