Man charged in connection with prison officer served with book of evidence

A book of evidence was served on a 44-year-old man charged in connection with last year's murder of a prison officer in the North, at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin today.

In December, last year Vincent Banks, of Smithfield Gate Apartments, Smithfield, Dublin 7, was charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the IRA on December 18, 2012.

He was also charged with withholding information in relation to the murder of David Black.

Today, prosecution solicitor Mr Michael O’ Donovan said that the State was in a position to serve the book of evidence and it was handed to Banks by a detective.

Banks is charged that between October 10 and December 20 inclusive, within the State, being a person who had information which he knew or believed might be of material assistance in securing the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of another person for a serious offence, namely the murder of David Black, did fail without reasonable excuse to disclose the information as soon as was practicable to gardaí.

Father-of-two David Black (aged 52), who worked at the high security Maghaberry jail in Co Antrim, was shot dead as he drove to work on a motorway near Lurgan in Co Armagh on November 1 last.

Dissident republicans claimed responsibility for the murder.

The court remanded Banks until June 6 when the case will be mentioned again.