A Co Meath farmer told members of the Criminal Assets Bureau that a man named Thomas Murphy rented land from him and paid him in cash, the trial at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin of prominent republican Thomas "Slab" Murphy for tax evasion heard on Tuesday.
It is the prosecution’s case that, although Mr Murphy conducted significant dealings in relation to land and cattle, he failed to make any returns to revenue.
Mr Murphy (66), of Ballybinaby, Hackballscross, Co Louth, has pleaded not guilty 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.
A statement given by Co Meath farmer Brian Garvey in October 2005 to members of the CAB was read into evidence by Paul Burns SC, prosecuting.
The three-judge, non-jury court heard that Mr Garvey told the investigating CAB members that, in 1996 or 1997, a man named Thomas Murphy began renting land from him and that the rent was paid in cash and occasionally in third-party cheques from oil companies.
Thomas Murphy rented 246 acres off Mr Garvey for five or six years, Mr Garvey said in his statement, the court heard.
Mr Garvey told the CAB members that, from 1999 to 2002, Thomas Murphy paid £25,000 (Irish pounds) per year in cash, the court heard.
The court also heard from Mr Garvey’s statement that Thomas Murphy’s nephew once gave Mr Garvey €5,000 for rent.
“Other than the €5000 given by his nephew, all of the other money was given to me by Tom Murphy,” Mr Garvey told the CAB members, the court heard.
Under cross-examination, Mr Garvey agreed with John Kearney QC, defending, that in 1994, during the initial negotiations about renting the land, a man named Patrick Murphy was the chief negotiator.
Mr Kearney put it to Mr Garvey that there were variations made to the terms of the rental agreement and that “the primary person who discussed these variations was Patrick Murphy.”
“It would’ve been, yes,” Mr Garvey replied.
Mr Garvey also agreed with Mr Kearney that, in the early years of the rental agreement, the person who made the payments was Patrick Murphy.
“Patrick Murphy sat at your table and paid you the money he was owing,” Mr Kearney put to Mr Garvey.
“Correct,” Mr Garvey said.
The trial continues.