THE DUBLIN SHERIFF has seized a BMW belonging to property developer Paddy Kelly for a second time in six months, the Irish Times reports.

The black 7-series BMW was first seized in early August from outside Kelly’s home.

It was subsequently returned after Kelly claimed the car was legally his wife’s possession, not his.

On both occasions, the car was seized on foot of a warrant initiated by ACC Bank, which secured a judgment order for €16.5m against Kelly and two of his sons in April. In May the year before, a €6.1m judgment was secured against Kelly.

In an interview with Fintan O’Toole for the Irish Times in July, Kelly drove O’Toole around in that same BMW and spoke about how he supposed people thought he was “having a tough time, but I’m not. I’ve never had a tough time in my life”.

The sheriff had found a 2004 interview in the International Herald Tribune which showed that Kelly was the car’s beneficial owner and a spokesperson for the sheriff estimated the car, bought by Kelly for €139,000 in 2003, could be worth up to €15,000. The Herald Tribune article writes: “Kelly has replaced the Rolls with a 745 li BMW, a $67,000 car with a leather and wood-trimmed interior and Norah Jones in the CD player”.

The IT says Kelly responded to the car’s removal by saying: “What does it matter? It’s Christmas. They can have it. I love walking”. He also said he intends to avail of the free travel pass as he is 66 years old.

We can think of a better line he might have used…

(Note: Video contains language some may find offensive)