‘Slab’ Murphy opens appeal to tax evasion conviction

Prominent republican Thomas ‘Slab’ Murphy was found guilty of evading tax his brother had already paid, his lawyers have submitted to the Court of Appeal.

The 67-year-old, whose farm at Ballybinaby, Hackballscross, Co Louth, straddles the border with Northern Ireland, had pleaded not guilty at the non-jury Special Criminal Court to nine charges of failing to comply with tax laws in the Republic for 1996/97 to 2004.

The three-judge Special Criminal Court found Murphy guilty on all counts and he was jailed for 18 months on February 26.