A High Court judge has said it might be more appropriate if an independent person were appointed to administer the estate of the murdered Co Wicklow publican, Mr Tom Nevin, so as to pursue the claim that Mr Nevin's widow, Catherine, should not benefit from her dead husband's estate. Nevin is serving a life sentence for the murder.
Mr Justice Kearns adjourned to June 21st an application to have Tom Nevin's brother and sister appointed to administer his estate for the purpose of the proceedings brought against Catherine Nevin.
Mr Tom Nevin, who owned Jack White's Inn, Brittas Bay, Co Wicklow, died on March 19th, 1996, without making a will. Nevin (53), was convicted of his murder on April 11th, 2000, and her conviction was upheld on appeal.
It is believed that Nevin has since lodged an application with the European Court of Human Rights.
In addition to the murder conviction, Nevin was also convicted on three counts of soliciting three different men to murder her husband in 1989 and 1990. She is serving life imprisonment on the murder count and three seven-year sentences on the soliciting accounts.
The principal asset of the late Mr Nevin's estate was the pub, which was jointly owned by him and his wife. In late 1997, the pub was sold by Catherine Nevin for £620,000. Mr Nevin also owned properties at Mayfield Road and Mountshannon Road, both in Dublin; a policy with Irish Life Assurance for almost £78,000; and proceedings from a life assurance policy and a bank account of about £197,000.
Mr Nevin's mother, Mrs Nora Nevin, of Loughrea, who has since died, brought proceedings in 1997 challenging the pub sale and seeking a declaration that Catherine Nevin was not entitled to any share of Mr Nevin's estate.