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Burke gets six months in prison for tax offences
Former government minister Ray Burke has been sentenced to six months in jail for tax offences.
In sentencing, Judge Desmond Hogan told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that he had taken into account mitigating circumstances in handing down the sentence.
He said Burke's age, state of health and guilty plea worked in his favour and that under other circumstances a more severe sentence may have been imposed. He refused the former Fianna Fáil TD leave to appeal the sentence.
He was sentenced on three counts of lodging false tax returns more than 10 years ago and given six months for each offence - to run concurrently.
Burke (60), of Griffith Downs, Drumcondra, faced a sentence of up to five years and a fine up to €127,000. He admitted at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court last July to not declaring £91,980 in 1993 when the Government declared a tax amnesty.
He also pleaded guilty to failing to declare income of £24,038, bringing the total of undeclared income to £116,038 in the same year.
Burke was investigated by the Mahon tribunal when it was chaired by Mr Justice Flood and was found to have received more £200,000 in corrupt payments from builders and other businessmen. Subsequent investigations by the Criminal Assets Bureau led to the conviction on tax offences.
Lawyers for Burke had pleaded with the Judge Desmond Hogan not to send him to jail, saying he should not be treated any differently because he is a former minister.
He is the first minister jailed as a result of the work of a number tribunals investigating alleged political corruption during the 1970s and 1980s.
He already faces legal bills estimated to be in excess of €10 million after the chairman of the planning tribunal, Judge Alan Mahon, refused application for costs last September.
(Irish Times)
Former government minister Ray Burke has been sentenced to six months in jail for tax offences.
In sentencing, Judge Desmond Hogan told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that he had taken into account mitigating circumstances in handing down the sentence.
He said Burke's age, state of health and guilty plea worked in his favour and that under other circumstances a more severe sentence may have been imposed. He refused the former Fianna Fáil TD leave to appeal the sentence.
He was sentenced on three counts of lodging false tax returns more than 10 years ago and given six months for each offence - to run concurrently.
Burke (60), of Griffith Downs, Drumcondra, faced a sentence of up to five years and a fine up to €127,000. He admitted at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court last July to not declaring £91,980 in 1993 when the Government declared a tax amnesty.
He also pleaded guilty to failing to declare income of £24,038, bringing the total of undeclared income to £116,038 in the same year.
Burke was investigated by the Mahon tribunal when it was chaired by Mr Justice Flood and was found to have received more £200,000 in corrupt payments from builders and other businessmen. Subsequent investigations by the Criminal Assets Bureau led to the conviction on tax offences.
Lawyers for Burke had pleaded with the Judge Desmond Hogan not to send him to jail, saying he should not be treated any differently because he is a former minister.
He is the first minister jailed as a result of the work of a number tribunals investigating alleged political corruption during the 1970s and 1980s.
He already faces legal bills estimated to be in excess of €10 million after the chairman of the planning tribunal, Judge Alan Mahon, refused application for costs last September.
(Irish Times)