London court remands Gilligan

DURING a three minute hearing at Belmarsh Magistrates Court in London yesterday, Mr John Gilligan was remanded in custody for…

DURING a three minute hearing at Belmarsh Magistrates Court in London yesterday, Mr John Gilligan was remanded in custody for a second week.

It is understood that an application for bail will be made at a hearing next Wednesday.

Mr Gilligan, with an address at Corduff Avenue, Blanchardstown, Co Dublin, was brought to the court through an underground tunnel connected to the high security Belmarsh Prison whete he is being held. He did not speak during the hearing.

Mr David McGrath, Mr Gilligan's solicitor said he would be making an application for bail to the court next week.

Mr Gilligan has been charged under Section 49 (part, one) of the Drug Trafficking Act, 1994, which refers to the concealment of money in order to avoid a drug trafficking offence.

Mr Gilligan was arrested at Heathrow Airport on October 8th as he attempted to board a flight for Amsterdam carrying £300,000 in cash in his hand luggage. The money was made up of punts, sterling and Dutch guilders.

A second man, Mr Michael Cunningham, also from Dublin, and who was believed to be travelling with Mr Gilligan, was also questioned at Heathrow.

After he was released Mr Cunningham was questioned by West Yorkshire police in connection with armed robberies during the 1980s.

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