‘Slab’ Murphy trial hears of €69,000 cattle purchases

The trial of Thomas "Slab" Murphy for alleged tax evasion has heard that from June 2004 to December 2005 a man named Thomas Murphy bought cattle worth over €69,000 at a mart in Co Meath.

It is the prosecution’s case that, although Mr Murphy conducted significant dealings in relation to cattle and land, and received agricultural grants from the Department of Agriculture, he failed to make any returns to revenue.

Mr Murphy (66), of Ballybinaby, Hackballscross, Co Louth, has pleaded not guilty at the Special Criminal Court to nine charges alleging that he failed to furnish a return of his income, profits or gains or the source of his income, profits or gains to the Collector General or the Inspector of Taxes for the years 1996/97 to 2004.

Mr Murphy is being prosecuted on foot of an investigation by the Criminal Assets Bureau.

Peter O’Reilly, office manager at Carnaross Mart from August 2000 until September 2009, told the court that he handed over documents to gardaí in relation to business conducted at the mart by a man named Thomas Murphy with an address at Ballybinaby, Hackballscross, Co Louth.

The documents are a “summary of purchases transacted for Thomas Murphy” between June 2004 and December 2005, the court heard.

Mr O’Reilly told Paul Burns SC, prosecuting, that the total value of the purchases was €69,150.

The trial continues.