Gardaí still seek Nevin killer break

THE garda team who put Catherine Nevin behind bars have said they are no nearer to establishing who shot her husband Tom than when they arrested her for arranging his death.

But as Mrs Nevin yesterday saw the appeal against her conviction thrown out of court, the senior detective in charge said the investigation remained open and awaited the break that would lead to the killer.

Mrs Nevin was not in court for the ruling but all seven of Tom’s brothers and sisters attended.

Afterwards their solicitor delivered a short statement, which read: “Today’s judgment by the Court of Criminal Appeal has brought us some element of closure as regards our brother’s death. We believe that justice has been done. We will not be making any further comment in relation to this matter at this time.”

They are expected to take civil proceedings to ensure their brother’s widow is denied access to his estate, which includes the proceeds from the sale of their pub, Jack Whites Inn, two houses they jointly owned and insurance policies on Tom’s life, with a total value of at least 2m. Mrs Nevin’s assets were frozen in a court action by her mother-in-law in 1998.

Mrs Nevin, 51, was convicted three years ago of three attempts to solicit men to kill her 54-year-old husband and of his eventual murder at Jack White’s Inn on March 19, 1996.

She received three seven-year terms, eclipsed by a life sentence for murder, but immediately announced her intention to appeal, citing the intense publicity that

surrounded her trial, claims of garda conspiracy by way of leaks to the media, and complaints about the trial judge’s summing up to the

jury.

But the three appeal judges said yesterday the trial was “exceptionally fair in very difficult circumstances”.

Mrs Nevin may seek leave to raise certain legal points in the Supreme Court and a date of April 8 was set for any such matters to be mentioned to the court but it is widely accepted the case is finished.

The search for the person hired by Mrs Nevin to shoot Tom during a faked robbery at their pub continues however.

Detective Sergeant Fergus O’Brien of the investigation team said the file remained open. “We are ready for the day down the line when we get the break that will bring in that person,” he said.