'Slab' Murphy to challenge ruling on court venue for tax charges
Prominent republican Thomas “Slab” Murphy is to launch a Supreme Court challenge to a ruling that tax charges against him should be dealt with by the non-jury Special Criminal Court rather than the ordinary courts.
The 60-year-old is being prosecuted on foot of an investigation by the Criminal Assets Bureau.
The nine charges allege that he failed to furnish a return of his income, profits or gains to the Collector General or the Inspector of Taxes for the years 1996 to 2004.
Mr Murphy, of Ballybinaby, Hackballscross, Co Louth, had challenged the constitutionality of a law under which the tax charges against him are to be dealt with by the Special Criminal Court as opposed to the ordinary courts.
Mr Murphy lost that challenge last Thursday after the High Court found he could be returned to the Special Criminal Court.
