Ex-FF councillor denies lying over cocaine at blackmail trial

A FORMER Fianna Fáil councillor at the centre of an alleged blackmail plot has denied in court that he was taking cocaine.

Wesley Higgins, aged 33, is accused of attempting to extort €5,000 from former Dublin City Councillor Liam Kelly by threatening to give pictures of him taking cocaine to a newspaper. The pictures were printed in the Sunday World shortly afterwards.

Higgins, of Dundaniel Road, Kilmore, Coolock has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to demanding money with menaces between August 6 and 12, 2006.