Family members of murdered publican Tom Nevin will ask the High Court next week to allow evidence from the trial of his widow Catherine to be used in their civil action aimed at stopping her inheriting any of Mr Nevin’s estate.
The brother and sister of Mr Nevin want the court to rule that evidence at Ms Nevin’s trial and of her conviction of the murder of her husband are admissible in their action to fully disinherit her.
Ms Nevin (61), who has always denied involvement in the murder, is opposing their application, which has been fixed for hearing before the president of the High Court, Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns, next Thursday.
Abuse of process
Patrick Nevin, Tynagh, Loughrea, Co Galway, and Margaret Lavelle, Ballinagran, Craughwell, Co Galway, both administrators of Mr Nevin’s estate, claim it would be an abuse of process if the conviction could not be used in a civil action.
In a counter-claim, Catherine Nevin wants declarations she is entitled to some or all of the assets by virtue of survivorship and the laws of intestacy. She was convicted in 2000 of murdering Tom Nevin at their pub in 1996.