U2 GUITARIST Adam Clayton is suing Bank of Ireland and his accountants for negligence because he says his former personal assistant Carol Hawkins withdrew more than $6 million from his bank account over five years up to November 2009.

Clayton said his accountants told him him in September 2008 the sum taken was about $18,000 when it was about already $5 million.

He also claims, after Ms Hawkins admitted she took about $20,000 in September 2008 because of what she said were personal probems, his accountants backed up her story about the amount missing.

As a result he kept her on in his employment but also asked his accountants to ensure she would not have any further access to his accounts.

However, she allegedly took $500,000 between October 2008 and November 2009 by means of ATM withdrawals of $1,000 a day, it is alleged.

Clayton, is now suing Bank of Ireland Private Banking Ltd and Gaby Smyth, Jill Percival and Pat Cleary, practising as Gaby Smyth Co, chartered accountants,

He brought earlier separate proceedings against Hawkins over the alleged missing funds .

In that case he claimed she bought an apartment in New York and shares in racehorses with his money.

Now, he is claiming $6 million damages against the bank and is claiming $6 million million damages against the accountants for negligence, breach of contract and negligent misstatement arising from allegedly failing to detect the alleged extent of the misappropriation.

He says the accountants told him in September 2008 the total sum misappropriated by Ms Hawkins was $18,000 when in fact the total sum missing between July 2004 and September 2008 “is now known to exceed $6 million”.

The case will begin on Monday in Dublin.