Convicted drugs dealer John Gilligan smiled and said: "Keep it clean" after he was jailed for five years by the Special Criminal Court today for threatening to kill two prison officers and their families.

Convicted drugs dealer John Gilligan told the Special Criminal Court today that a prison officer verbally abused him and told him: "I hope you do every day of 28 years'' after a row over the opening of prison tuck shop.

A prison officer told the Special Criminal Court today that convicted drugs dealer John Gilligan punched him in the jaw as he escorted him to a professional visit in Portlaoise Prison last year.

The fate of the Tony O' Reilly-led consortium bid for Eircom may be in jeopardy because of the number of business interests held by the newspaper boss.