Man is to face charges over Black murder

A BOOK of evidence has been served at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin on a man charged in connection with last year’s murder of prison officer David Black who was shot dead on the M1 between Portadown and Lurgan.
By The Newsroom
Published 18th Apr 2013, 17:21 BST
David BlackDavid Black
David Black

Vincent Banks (44), of Smithfield Gate Apartments, Smithfield, Dublin, was charged last December with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Óglaigh na hÉireann, otherwise the IRA, on December 18, 2012. He was also charged with withholding information in relation to the murder of Cookstown native David Black.

On Wednesday, prosecution solicitor Michael O’Donovan said the State was in a position to serve the book of evidence and it was handed to Mr Banks by a detective.

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Mr Banks is charged that between October 10 and December 20 inclusive, within the State, being a person who had information which he knew or believed might be of material assistance in securing the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of another person for a serious offence, namely the murder of David Black, did fail without reasonable excuse to disclose the information as soon as was practicable to gardaí.

Father-of-two David Black (52), who worked at the high-security Maghaberry Prison in Co Antrim, was shot dead as he drove to work on the motorway on November 1st. Dissident republicans claimed responsibility for the murder.

The court remanded Mr Banks until June 6 when the case will be mentioned again.