‘Slab’ Murphy had significant sources of cash, court hears

The trial of prominent republican Thomas "Slab" Murphy for alleged tax evasion at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin has heard he "had access to significant sources of cash."

The prosecution’s case is that, although Mr Murphy conducted “significant dealings” in relation to land and cattle, he failed to make any returns to revenue.

Mr Murphy (66), of Ballybinaby, Hackballscross, Co Louth, has pleaded not guilty to nine charges alleging that he failed to furnish a return of his income, profits or gains or the source of his income, profits or gains to the Collector General or the Inspector of Taxes for the years 1996/97 to 2004.

Mr Murphy is being prosecuted on foot of an investigation by the Criminal Assets Bureau.

Opening the trial, prosecuting counsel Paul Burns SC told the three-judge, non-jury court the accused man “conducted significant dealings in relation to land and the trading of cattle.”

“He did not make any returns to Revenue in respect to the period in question,” Mr Burns said.

The court will hear from witnesses that Mr Murphy applied for and received a herd number from the Department of Agriculture and that over the years he applied for grants in relation to that herd number and the cattle associated with it, and received in excess of €100,000, Mr Burns said.

“Substantial cash payments were made by the accused in relation to renting land and in relation to silage for the cattle on those lands,” he added.

Mr Burns told the court that the accused made payments in excess of €300,000, “paid mostly in cash and by way of third-party cheques”

“The accused had access to significant sources of cash in order to make such payments,” Mr Burns said.

The court will also hear of Mr Murphy’s dealings at various markets throughout the country in trading cattle. “The figures involved are quite substantial, well into six figures,” Mr Burns told the court.

The trial continues.