Supreme Court to rule on Gilligan conviction
The Supreme Court will rule today on whether crime boss John Gilligan’s conviction for drug running is safe and legal.
The notorious criminal, cleared of the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin, was jailed in 2001 for 28 years for his role at the head of an international cannabis smuggling operation,
His sentence was later reduced to 20 years on appeal.
During his trial at the Special Criminal Court Gilligan was labelled “the supreme authority” in a drugs gang.
Using testimony from former criminal associates and circumstantial evidence from the Gardai the three judge court found Gilligan guilty.
The court heard during a 30-month period he masterminded the importation of €55m worth of cannabis, reaping staggering rewards from the international smuggling ring.
It was estimated that Gilligan amassed more than €20m profit.
Gilligan appealed on the grounds that his former associates could not be trusted to tell the truth under oath and that they had struck a deal with gardaí.
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