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15th Oct 2013

With John Gilligan released from prison today, here are five things you should know

Just after 9.30am John Gilligan was officially a free man for the first time in 17 years. Here is a reminder of the why he was there and what the future holds for the 61 year-old.

JOE

Just after 9.30am John Gilligan was officially a free man for the first time in 17 years. Here is a reminder of the why he was there and what the future holds for the 61-year old.

Charges

Gilligan served his time for drug trafficking. He was convicted of possession of an estimated 20,000kg of cannabis resin for sale and supply. In February 2002 he was extradited from England after being stopped with bags full of cash on his way through Heathrow Airport. Taking into consideration time he had spent on remand awaiting trial, at first in jail in the UK from where he was extradited to Ireland and then in prison here he has spent almost 17 years in jail.

He was accused and acquitted of ordering Veronica Guerin’s murder, and also cleared of firearms charges.

Court sentence

The Ballyfermot man was initially jailed for 28 years but that term was later reduced on appeal to 20 years and was entitled to remission, or time off for good behaviour, of 25 per cent; equating to five years in his case.

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The good behaviour is a legal entitlement as Gilligan had a poor record behind bars and was caught in possession of mobile phones and also issued threats against prison officers. Gilligan had challenged the court’s legal authority to sentence him to consecutive jail terms for possession of mobile phones in jail and recently lost his latest separate legal battle with the Supreme Court.

CAB seizure

Gilligan is doing his level best to keep hold of his ‘Jessbrook’ Equestrian Centre and has lodged High Court papers to try to dissuade potential buyers of the show-jumping arena from purchasing the complex.

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The Criminal Assets Bureau finally seized the estate last year and while Jessbrook was valued at €5m during the boom years, it was put on the market by the State for €500,000 just last month.

Media attention

Naturally the media interest in his release has been huge. His criminal investigation was one of the largest in the history of the State and led to over 150 arrests and Gardaí had to keep the media clear to facilitate his departure in a Ford Mondeo. Gilligan was followed from the prison by some media in cars and on motorbikes.

And Gilligan isn’t likely to share his stories anytime soon. He issued a letter through his solicitors last week insisting he would not speak to the media even if all the newspapers and broadcasters paid him €1m each.

Future?

All that is known for sure is that Gilligan made his way on the Dublin-Cork motorway. Some Gardaí sources believe he will leave the country, especially with such uncertainty around his equestrian centre, where his estranged wife Geraldine still lives. He has a son on the outskirts of Dublin and a daughter in Spain.

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