John Gilligan has failed in his attempt to hold onto three houses frozen by the Criminal Assets Bureau.
The convicted drug dealer, along with his wife and two children, tried to overturn orders that were bought from the proceeds of crime.
Today’s decision paves the way for them to be sold.
This long-running battle between John Gilligan and the Criminal Assets Bureau began in 1996 when his assets were first frozen.
In 2008, the Supreme Court declared that some of his assets, and those of his family, came from the proceeds of crime.
They were forfeited to the State three years later after the High Court decided they hadn’t been bought with legitimate earnings, as claimed by the Gilligans.
The infamous Jessbrook equestrian centre in Co. Kildare has already been sold and Gilligan has now lost his attempt to hold onto an adjoining bungalow and two other houses in Dublin – one of which is in the name of his daughter Tracy, while the other is under his son Darren’s name.
There were many strands to this appeal. The Gilligans claimed they weren’t given the opportunity to challenge CAB’s application to freeze the assets in 1996 and they argued that all subsequent rulings were therefore flawed or invalid.
On this point, the judges decided they were given multiple opportunities to engage with the evidence that they were bought with the proceeds of crime or to challenge its “authenticity, reliability or value”
The Gilligans also wanted the 2008 Supreme Court decision to be revisited, but the judges said they failure to show it came within the “rare or exceptional circumstances” in which a final judgement or order may be set aside.
On behalf of the court, Ms. Justice Elizabeth Dunne said she was also satisfied there had been no breach of their constitutional rights and dismissed all their applications and appeals.
Gilligan was in court for today’s judgement and gave no reaction when it was handed down.
The decision paves the way for the three properties to be sold and the issue of costs will be dealt with at a later date.
Our Courts Correspondent Frank Greaney reports:
