Witness says State blackmailed him

State supergrass Russell Warren has told the Special Criminal Court this morning that he believed he was being blackmailed by the State to give evidence against John Gilligan.

Warren is currently serving five years for the theft of the motorcycle used in the Veronica Guerin murder and for money laundering.

In 1998, he received a letter from the Department of Justice telling him it was unlikely he would have to serve his full sentence.

When no release came, he made an application to the High Court on the basis that further detention was illegal. In response, he got another letter saying that they would press the Minister for his early release.

The witness said he believed he was being kept in prison until he gave evidence against Gilligan in this trial.