Burke gets six months for tax offences

national | crime and justice | other press Monday January 24, 2005 14:20 by Tree dweller

Burke gets six months for tax offences

24 January 2005 12:46

Former Fianna Fáil minister Ray Burke has been jailed for six months by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for tax offences.

Judge Desmond Hogan said that Mr Burke, who had held a number of senior Government portfolios including Environment, Justice, and Foreign Affairs, had abused his special position.

The judge said that as a member of the Dáil Mr Burke took part in the legislative process that affects the lives of everybody in Ireland.

Judge Hogan said Mr Burke's offences were premeditated acts to minimise his taxes, and that had had committed a breach of trust.

Mr Burke, 61, was a minister when the 1983 Finance Act, under which he was prosecuted, was passed into law.

The former politician pleaded guilty last July to knowingly or wilfully furnishing incorrect information during the Government's tax amnesty of 1993 by failing to declare an income of £91,980.

He also admitted knowingly or wilfully furnishing incorrect information to the Inspector of Taxes on or after December 1993 by failing to declare income of £24,038.

The investigation by the Criminal Assets Bureau that led to Mr Burke's arrest began in 2000, and in a search at his home a folder of information showed he had failed to fully declare his income over a nine-year period.

He had declared income from deposit accounts at just over £5,000 for the period 1982 to 1991. Actual earnings were over £97,000.

In mitigation, Judge Hogan considered Mr Burke's early guilty plea, his co-operation and the fact that he is now tax compliant. But he said he had abused his special position and a jail sentence was warranted.

The judge then imposed a six-month sentence and refused leave to appeal.

Mr Burke's lawyer, Patrick Hunt, earlier urged Judge Hogan not to jail his client, adding his previous position was no reason to scapegoat him.