Sean Connery and his wife Micheline have been brought before the courts again over an alleged 1.6-million-euro tax fraud

Sean Connery and his wife Micheline have been brought before the courts again over an alleged 1.6-million-euro tax fraud following the sale of land in Málaga.

The land is thought to have been sold by a company linked to the couple.

Judge Ricardo Puyol of the Court of Instruction No.1 in Marbella (Málaga) discovered the second incident which could give rise to fraud charges whilst investigating an ongoing, similar case linked to the Connerys.

It is possible that the case will come to trial as early as July 25.

The first incident, known as the 'Caso Goldfinger' – after the actor's 1964 film in which he played 007 – involves investigations into a plot in Marbella where Connery's villa and 72 luxury properties are located.

During their holidays in Marbella, until 1999, Sean and Micheline Connery lived in the seafront villa in question, which is on the same plot of land as a four-storey apartment block built between 2004 and 2005.

Now, the sale of the block Colinas del Limonar in the Los Almendrales district of Málaga city is being looked into, since it appears the firm linked to the Connerys did not declare the sale as part of their annual Company Tax bill.

However, it is said that the IVA on the property sale was duly declared.

A number of bank accounts and shares have been frozen pending the outcome of the trial.