Date set for Gilligan assault trial

The Special Criminal Court today fixed June 4 as the provisional date for the trial of convicted drugs dealer John Gilligan on charges of assaulting a prison officer.

Gilligan was charged in January with assaulting prison officer Martin Ryan causing him harm at Portlaoise Prison on March 25 last year.

He was also charged with threatening Mr Ryan that he would be killed and with also threatening prison officer Declan O' Reilly that he would be killed on the same date.

In separate proceedings the court is due to rule soon on an application by the State to confiscate almost €18m of Gilligan's assets.

Assistant Commissioner Tony Hickey has told the court that Gilligan made a gross profit of almost €47m from importing around 19,000 kilos of cannabis resin over a two-year period. He said that Gilligan's net profit was €17,806,000.

The court has heard that the State wants 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, sixteen bank accounts and over €6m he staked in bets.

Gilligan is serving a 28-year prison sentence imposed by the Special Criminal Court on March 15 last year for importing cannabis resin.

John Gilligan (aged 49), with addresses at Corduff Avenue, Blanchardstown, Dublin, Jessbrook Equestrian Centre, Mucklon, Enfield, Co Kildare, was convicted on March 15 of 11 offences alleging that he unlawfully imported cannabis resin into the State on various dates between July 1, 1994 and October 6, 1996; that he unlawfully possessed cannabis resin for sale or supply on the same dates and that on or about October 3, 1996 at Greenmount Industrial Estate, Harold's Cross, Dublin he had cannabis resin for sale or supply.

He was cleared of the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin on June 26, 1996.