Court overturns £1.77m CAB judgment

THE Supreme Court yesterday overturned a High Court judgment for £1.77 million (2.25m) granted to the Criminal Assets Bureau in a landmark decision curbing the tax-collecting practices of the Garda agency.

The five-judge court ruled the CAB had not fully complied with standard Revenue procedures in assessing the alleged outstanding taxes of a Dublin man. As a result of the ruling, the CAB will now have to exhaust tax assessment procedures and appeal provisions before seeking judgment from the High Court.

Yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling upheld an appeal by Seán Hunt against a High Court judgment against him for £1.29m (1.6m) in income tax and £480,000 (609,000) in VAT, over a 10-year period.