Thomas Murphy arrives for sentencing at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin

A Sinn Fein TD has said he does not have full confidence in the conviction of Thomas ‘Slab’ Murphy ahead of the tax dodgers sentencing.

Peadar Toibin has claimed that Mr Murphy, who was chief of staff in the IRA, should not have been tried before the non-jury Special Criminal Court.

Murphy, with an address at Ballybinaby, Co Louth was found guilty of nine counts of failing to file tax returns between 1996 and 2004.

Despite the conviction Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams continues to describe Murphy as a “good republican” and the party’s manifesto sets out a plan to abolish the Special Criminal Court.

Speaking in Dublin today, Mr Toibin said he had confidence in the judges of this country – but not in the judgements of the Special Criminal Courts.

"I believe the quality of the judgment is improved when there is a jury.

“If you have a non-jury court for some people and a jury court for others, what you have is a two-tier justice system,” he said.

Pressed on whether he believed Murphy is guilty of the tax evasion charges, Mr Toibin said: “I don’t have full confidence in the quality of a judgment unless there is a jury involved.”

Online Editors