Convicted drug dealer John Gilligan was charged at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin today with having a mobile phone in Portlaoise District Court last year.
Gilligan (59), whose address was given as “care of Portlaoise Prison”, was charged with possession of a “mobile telecommunications device” while in lawful custody at Portlaoise District Court on March 30th, 2010.
In 2001, Gilligan was cleared of the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin in June 1996. He was convicted by the Special Criminal Court in March 2001 of 11 offences of unlawfully importing cannabis resin into the State on various dates between July 1st, 1994 and October 6th, 1996, and unlawful possession of cannabis resin for sale or supply on the same dates.
Gilligan was originally sentenced to 28 years in prison for the drugs offences, but this was reduced on appeal to 20 years. He was also convicted in June 2002 of threatening to kill two prison officers in March 2001 and was given a two-year prison sentence to run consecutively after the 20 years sentence.
In March this year, he was also given an eight-month sentence at Portlaoise District Court for having a Nokia mobile phone in his cell at Portlaoise Prison on July 30th, 2008.
During a 10 minute hearing at the Criminal Courts of Justice today, Gilligan was formally charged with having a mobile phone at Portlaoise District Court last year.
Det Garda Pat Scully gave evidence of meeting Gilligan in the precincts of the court and handing him a copy of the charge. He said that Gilligan made no reply when he was formally cautioned.
Gilligan told the court that he wanted to apply for legal aid, for a solicitor and two counsel. He said that he had only found out this morning that he was to be charged. Gilligan said he was brought to the courts for a judgment in a criminal assets case.
Prosecution solicitor Mr Michael O’Donovan said the director of Public Prosecutions had certified the ordinary courts were inadequate to deal with the case and Gilligan should be charged in the Special Criminal Court.
After Gilligan was charged, Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding, told him that he was entitled to apply for legal aid and if there was a dispute about that there would have to be a hearing on another date.
Gilligan said: “I am in prison 16 years and my assets are frozen.”
Remanding him in custody until January 27th, Mr Justice Butler said that he could see no urgency in the case. “It is not a serious charge and the accused is in custody,” he added.
The judge told Mr O’Donovan that he did not think it would take “rocket science” to prepare the book of evidence for someone having a mobile phone.