DPP requests Special Criminal Court for Murphy tax evasion charges

As Mick noted at the time on Comment is Free, Thomas Murphy has previously been named as both the UK’s richest smuggler and a former Provisional IRA Chief of Staff – a claim which led to a failed libel action by Murphy against the Sunday Times in 1998, during which case Eamon Collins testified against him. At the beginning of 1999 Eamon Collins was murdered in South Armagh. Alongside, apparently, ongoing investigations, Murphy was arrested in November this year on 9 charges of failing to file tax returns and, after an additional week’s delay, RTÉ reports today that a four-volume book of evidence was served on the defendant in Dundalk District Court.. together with a DPP request for the case to be heard in the non-jury Special Criminal Court – “Judge Brennan agreed to adjourn the case to 10 January in Dundalk to allow the defendant consider the book of evidence and the DPPs certificate.” [But is he still “a good republican”? – Ed] More Below the foldAdds From today’s Irish Times [subs req]

The certificate from the DPP which directed that he be returned to the Special Criminal Court stated that it was because, in the DPP’s opinion, the ordinary courts were inadequate to secure the proper administration of justice and the preservation of public peace and order in relation to the trial of Mr Murphy.

Pete Baker