'I'll die before I purge anything. I will never purge,' says man (67) who has spent 141 days in Mountjoy Prison

"Owen Ryan is defying a High Court order for possession of his home over an unpaid mortgage debt of €402,000"

"A man who has spent 141 days in jail for defying a court order for the possession of his home has told the High Court he would rather die behind bars than purge his contempt."

"Owen Ryan (67) was returned to Mountjoy Prison yesterday after he again refused to give an undertaking that he would refrain from trespassing at the property."

Owen Ryan (67) is defying a High Court order for possession of his home over an unpaid mortgage debt of €402,000. He has spent 141 days in jail for refusing to comply with the possession order. He told the High Court he would rather die behind bars than purge his contempt. He was returned to Mountjoy Prison after again refusing to give an undertaking that he would refrain from trespassing at the property. The refusal to provide the undertaking prevented any resolution that would avoid further imprisonment and maintains the enforcement standoff over the mortgage debt.

Read at Independent