Transcripts of court appearances by Luigi Felloni may be used by the State in its action to confiscate over £180,000 in money and property from him and other members of the Felloni family who have been jailed for heroin dealing.
Judge Pat McCartan yesterday ordered that the transcripts of five court appearances by Luigi Felloni in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court be made available to the Chief State Solicitor's Office.
Mr Roy Pearson, of the State Solicitor's office, said these and other transcripts may be used in an associated matter involving three members of the Felloni family.
Tony Felloni (53), his daughter, Regina (21), and his son, Luigi (23), are opposing a move by the State to confiscate money and property under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act of 1994. This is the first such application to be opposed since the Act came into operation.
Earlier this year Det Sgt O'Driscoll said in an affidavit read to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that about £134,000 in various bank and building society accounts and a house bought for £47,000 cash were the proceeds of illegal drug dealing by the three defendants.
He said Tony Felloni was serving a 20-year jail term, his daughter Regina was serving six years and nine months, and his son Luigi six years. All of them had pleaded guilty to drug dealing.
Mr Blaise O'Carroll SC, appearing for the Fellonis, said he would be requiring "strict proofs" of all the details concerning his clients as well as clarification of whether the application was a civil or a criminal hearing.
Mr O'Carroll said the provisions of the 1994 Act seemed "quite draconian" as a person's livelihood could be wiped out by confiscation.