Gilligan loses court battle against CAB

Convicted drug dealer John Gilligan has today lost his latest High Court battle against the Criminal Assets Bureau.

Gilligan, who is serving 20 years, his estranged wife Geraldine and their two children Darren and Tracey were trying to recover properties including the Jessbrook Equestrian Centre in Co Meath - on the basis they were not the proceeds of crime.

The court rejected the 58-year-old's claim that his assets were as a result of gambling and other business interests.

He produced betting slips and said he never kept his winnings in the bank because he did not trust banks and the recession had proved him right.

But in his ruling today Mr Justice Kevin Feeney found that John Gilligan’s gambling had in fact been a loss-making activity and he concluded that his evidence in relation to his alleged “lawful earnings” was so inconsistent, imprecise and contradictory that the Court could place no reliance on it.

However the judge said before making his final order he would take into account that Tracey Gilligan’s Lucan house had been partially paid for by her former partner from legitimate earnings.