Chargesover €22k found in suitcase at airport to be contested

On bail: John Gilligan A DUBLIN man arrested with over €22,000 (£19,200) in a suitcase at Belfast International Airport is to contest charges he faces in April.

John Gilligan, with an address at Greenfort Crescent in Dublin, was in the dock at Coleraine Magistrates Court yesterday.

The 66-year-old faces two charges.

The first is that the defendant on August 23 last year attempted to remove criminal property from Northern Ireland, contrary to Article 3 of the Criminal Attempts and Conspiracy (Northern Ireland) Order 1983 and Section 327(1)(e) of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

The second charge is that he possessed criminal property — namely €22,280.

A defence lawyer said they were served with the case papers that morning, describing them as “quite voluminous”.

He said his “clear instructions” were to enter a not guilty plea and contest the charges.

A prosecution lawyer said there were 15 prosecution witnesses and the defence lawyer said there were 13 witnesses for the defence.

District Judge Peter King set a contest day at the end of April and said a review would be held in mid-March to “firm up” the number of witnesses which will be required.

He said Gilligan did not need to attend in March.

He was released on continuing bail, no details of which were given in court.

Gilligan had spent several months on custody in relation to the charges and when he was granted bail recently he had pledged to show up at yesterday’s court, telling a judge: “I wouldn’t run.”