'Slab' Murphy heads to High Court over revenue trial

Prominent republican Thomas "Slab" Murphy is to get a High Court hearing in November in a bid to prevent his trial for alleged revenue offences.

Mr Murphy (aged 58), from Ballybinaby, Hackballscross, Co Louth, is being prosecuted on foot of an investigation by the Criminal Assets Bureau.

The charges allege that he failed to furnish a return of his income, profits or gains to the Collector General or the Inspector of Taxes for the years 1996/97 to 2004.

He was returned for trial to the Special Criminal Court last January from Dundalk District Court.

Today prosecution solicitor Mr Michael O'Donovan said that the High Court will hear judicial review proceedings brought by Murphy on November 18.

The court remanded Murphy on continuing bail until the end of December to allow the judicial review to proceed.

Murphy was in court for the brief hearing.

The Special Criminal Court normally deals with terrorist-related offences. However, the Director of Public Prosecutions has the discretion in any case to certify that ordinary courts are inadequate to deal with it and to send it for trial to the three-judge non-jury court.