THE FARMER who was at the centre of 2001 libel action by Fianna Fáil TD Beverley Flynn against RTÉ broadcaster Charlie Bird, has died.
James Howard, Acorn Way, Wheaton Hall, Drogheda, Co Louth, passed away at the Beacon Hospital, Dublin, on Monday.
Ms Flynn, a former financial adviser with National Irish Bank, alleged she was libelled in six RTÉ broadcasts in 1998 which reported that she had improperly encouraged Mr Howard and others to evade tax, which she denied.
The reports had alleged that Ms Flynn had dissuaded Mr Howard from availing of the tax amnesty and had encouraged him to invest in an offshore CMI medical insurance scheme.
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The jury found that RTÉ had not proved that she had advised Mr Howard to evade tax.
