Libel proceedings against Independent Newspapersby three witnesses in the trial of Catherine Nevin, for the murder of her publican husband in Co Wicklow, were settled today.
The actions were brought by Gerard Heapes, St Nicholas Village, Mornington, Co Meath, John Jones, The Chantries, Balrothery, Balbriggan, Co Dublin and William McClean, of Harold’s Cross Road, Dublin.
Mr Heapes sued over a front page publication in the Evening Herald, of January 25th, 2000 and, together with the two other men, he also sued over reports in the Irish Independentof February 24th, 2000 and the Sunday Independentof March 5th, 2000.
All of the reports were concerned with the Nevin murder trial.
Counsel for the three men, Mr Garrett Cooney SC told Mr Justice de Valera and a jury that Catherine Nevin was accused of murdering her husband, Tom Nevin at Jack White’s Inn, Co Wicklow in March 1996 and was also accused of soliciting Mr Heapes, Mr Jones and Mr McClean to commit the murder.
Mr Cooney submitted the defamation arose out of the way the newspapers had referred to his clients in the course of the Nevin trial.
Mr Cooney said Mrs Nevin had been found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury. That jury had been satisfied on the evidence that Mrs Nevin had arranged for somebody who was never identified to carry out the murder.