Corey and Prue Ireland court cases adjourned 50 times

Court cases involving former Angus breeders Corey and Prue Ireland have been adjourned a remarkable number of times.

Court cases involving Corey Ireland have been adjourned dozens of times.

Former NSW Angus breeders Corey and Prue Ireland have been accused of prolonging court cases through their lawyers seeking adjournments.

An investigation by The Weekly Times has found there have been more than 50 adjournments over a number of court proceedings dating back a number of years.

Last week, the criminal case of Mr Ireland was adjourned for the 16th time and appears no closer to substantive hearings since he was charged on eight counts of fraud two years ago.

A further five charges were later added, taking the total of 13 counts of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception.

Mr Ireland’s case in the Wagga Wagga Local Count, now handled by the Director of Public Prosecutions, was scheduled for another five-minute mention on June 8, ensuring a further adjournment was imminent.

A source told The Weekly Times that at one of the early hearings, Mr Ireland’s lawyer argued the case should be adjourned because the defendant had been given no chance to make a plea.

The NSW Local Court confirmed last week that Mr Ireland had still not made a plea.

Parties taking Mr Ireland to court over other matters have suggested the cases took longer than anticipated.

A successful bankruptcy case against Mr Ireland taken by De Lage Landen was adjourned 14 times, prompting the company’s barrister, Francois Salama, to tell The Weekly Times after a judgment was handed down, it was frustrating to have the case continually delayed.

The Australian Taxation Office took bankruptcy proceedings against Mr Ireland in the Federal Circuit Court in 2018, and was later joined by a number of other parties allegedly owed money by the Irelands.

Wagga Wagga cattle investor Richard Allsopp took over the case to pursue Mr Ireland for the alleged sale of his cattle without his knowledge.

The case was adjourned 15 times before Federal Circuit Court registrar Kim Lackenby dismissed Mr Allsopp’s action over a lack of evidence.

Mr Allsopp said he remembered the case “seeming to take forever”.

Criminal cases against Mr and Ms Ireland in the NSW Local Court taken by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission for allegedly failing to provide adequate books to a liquidator have now been adjourned five times.

They are next scheduled to be heard in the Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on June 22 for another mention.

The Weekly Times does not suggest all adjournments were at the instigation of the Irelands’ legal team.

The Irelands’ lawyer, Jacob Carswell-Doherty, did not respond to a request for comment.