The former Assistant Garda Commissioner, Tony Hickey, who led the investigation into John Gilligan's criminal activities, has welcomed today's Supreme Court ruling dismissing Gilligan's appeal against his conviction for drugs offences.
Mr Hickey, who retired this year, recommended and was centrally involved in setting up the State's first Witness Protection Programme.
Speaking this afternoon, he said the overall court ruling 'vindicated the strategy adopted by the Lucan investigation team and the prosecution authorities in bringing a case against John Gilligan'.
Gilligan, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for having cannabis resin for sale and supply, did not travel from Portlaoise Prison to hear today's judgment.
He had brought his case to the Supreme Court arguing that his conviction was unsafe because of the State's reliance on the evidence of Charles Bowden, Russell Warren and John Dunne, who are all in the Witness Protection Programme.
Gilligan's legal team asked the Supreme Court to determine under what circumstances such evidence might not be admissible, and what corroborative evidence might be required to support such evidence.
In the 70-page judgment, Mrs Justice Susan Denham said that evidence from people in Witness Protection Programmes was admissible in trials.
The judgment said a warning should be given to any jury of the dangers of convicting a person if such evidence is not corroborated, but that such corroboration was not always necessary.
The Supreme Court said that in today's society where there are gangs, drug trafficking, violence and death, Witness Protection Programmes were a reflection of our times.
The ruling means Gilligan will continue serving a 20-year sentence for importing drugs into the State.
