Holland has given several interviews to Irish Examiner
Holland, 64, wants maximum publicity for his claim that he was wrongly convicted on drugs charges. Originally sentenced to 20 years in prison, this was reduced to 12 years on appeal.
His central point is that the gardaí, unable to charge him with the murder of Veronica Guerin, went after him on the drugs charges.
He was convicted largely on the evidence of Charles Bowden, a protected witness repeatedly described as a liar in a series of trials involving the gang headed by John Gilligan. Bowden said Holland was the one referred to as The Wig, a distributor.
Other evidence included alleged admissions made in interviews with gardaí and the discovery of two forged driving licences at his home.
The admissions amounted to three disputed statements, including Holland saying he was not a big drug dealer and that he had his own customers. he said.
Holland, it is said, became involved in drugs when his printing business began to fail after being released from prison in 1994. It is claimed he made £600,000 as one of the distributors of 2,000kg of cannabis imported to Ireland by Gilligan’s gang in a two-year period to October 1996.
In the wake of the murder of Ms Guerin, Holland fled Ireland but returned when his name entered the frame.
On his return through Dun Laoghaire, he was arrested. He was taken to Lucan where he was questioned and then charged with drugs offences.
“Drugs had never been mentioned. I came back believing I was going to be questioned about Veronica Guerin. I was never accused of doing any drugs until I was charged with it,” said Holland.
