The State is seeking to confiscate assets thought to be worth £14.2 million from convicted drug dealer John Gilligan, the Special Criminal Court was told yesterday. The court heard the State wanted the High Court to appoint a receiver to realise Gilligan's assets, which allegedly include an equestrian centre at Jessbrook, two houses in Lucan, a house at Blanchardstown, six vehicles, 16 bank accounts and more than £5 million he staked in bets.
Gilligan (49), with addresses at Corduff Avenue, Blanchardstown, Dublin, Jessbrook Equestrian Centre, and Mucklon, En field, Co Kildare, was found guilty in the Special Criminal Court in March of importing cannabis resin and is serving 28 years. He was cleared of the 1996 murder of journalist Veronica Guerin Following the drugs conviction, the State applied for a forfeiture order against Gilligan and assets obtained from drugs trafficking.
During preliminary legal submissions on the application yesterday, Mr Michael O'Higgins SC, for Gilligan, argued that the court had no jurisdiction to launch an inquiry into his client's assets.
The Criminal Assets Bureau launched proceedings against Gilligan in November 1996 which were currently under litigation in the High Court and the Supreme Court. If the State succeeded in the High Court "there will be nothing left" and therefore the application for an inquiry by the Special Criminal Court was academic.
Mr O'Higgins said a DPP statement to Gilligan's lawyers specified five parcels of land at Jessbrook, of whom the registered owner was Ms Geraldine Gilligan, two three-bedroomed semi-detached houses in Lucan, one of which was in the names of John Gilligan and his son Darren and the other in the names of John Gilligan and his daughter Tracey.
The houses were valued at £73,000 and £77,000 but the value had probably increased. Mr O'Higgins said the statement alleged that the money used to buy Jessbrook came from Gilligan. He said the land at Jessbrook had been frozen by the High Court under the Proceeds of Crime Act 1996. There was also a local authority house at Corduff, Blanchardstown, valued at £70,000.
The DPP had isolated 16 bank accounts which, it was alleged, were controlled by four members of the Gilligan family. It was also alleged that Gilligan staked bets of more than £5 million which showed a loss of 20 per cent.
Mr O'Higgins said Gilligan and his wife had been separated for a number of years and it was now suggested that the separation was "a sham". Mr Peter Charleton SC, for the State, said the court had been invited to embark on an inquiry to determine if Gilligan benefited from drug trafficking, how much he made and then to make a confiscation order.
The court had found as a matter of fact "beyond a reasonable doubt" that Gilligan imported 20,000 kg of cannabis resin. He was asking the court to make a confiscation order in respect of £14.2 million and the State would then go to the High Court and seek to appoint a receiver to realise these funds.
Mr Charleton said any questions of ownership of the assets could be dealt with by the receiver appointed by the High Court.
Mr Justice O'Donovan said the court would give its judgment on the submissions on May 8th.