A Dublin man, Mr Gerry Hutch, has received a tax bill for almost £2 million from the Criminal Assets Bureau, it emerged yesterday.
The Master of the High Court, Mr Harry Hill SC, adjourned an application by the CAB to have judgment for £1,984,626 entered against Mr Hutch (36), who lives in the Clontarf area. The matter was returned to the High Court judges' list for March 5th. In court yesterday Mr Richard Nesbitt SC, for the CAB, said the total sought from Mr Hutch included an assessment for unpaid tax dating from 1988 to 1996, together with interest.
Mr Barry Galvin, legal officer for the CAB, claimed in an affidavit that Mr Hutch had failed to appeal against the assessment within the time allowed and the CAB was entitled to judgment for the amount.
Mr Nesbitt said that Mr Hutch's solicitor claimed in an affidavit that the CAB had no right to bring these proceedings against his client, and that what was done was unfair and unconstitutional.
Mr Nesbitt said that Mr Hutch had received the assessment and had failed to dispute it within the period allowed. In those circumstances it became final. He maintained that Mr Hutch could not claim that what was done was unconstitutional as he had failed to exercise his right of appeal.