Members of a family, consisting of an elderly couple, their daughter and son-in-law, were used by the John Gilligan drug gang to count and distribute over £1.5 million, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has heard. The couple's son, Russell Warren, was an "accounts clerk" for Gilligan and recruited his family members for the criminal enterprise. Russell Warren has been jailed for four years for laundering money for the Gilligan gang and is under the Witness Protection Programme. Judge Dominic Lynch was told the accused were arrested during the investigation into the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin.
Yvette Warren and Patrick Warren (both 69) pleaded guilty to handling money they knew was the proceeds of drug trafficking or other crimes, at their home in Heatherview Drive, Tallaght, on four dates between June and September 1996.
Their daughter, Nicola, pleaded guilty to one count of the same offence. She and her husband Brian Cummins (26), of Clonfert Road, Crumlin, also pleaded guilty to handing over £10,000 to another man on behalf of the Gilligan gang in September 1996.
Det Garda John Poole told prosecuting counsel Mr Tom O'Connell that Yvette and Patrick Warren are parents of Russell Warren, whom he called an "accounts clerk" for the gang led by John Gilligan. Both are also under special Garda supervision.
From June 1996 onwards, the couple and their daughter, Nicola, were hired to count large bags stuffed with cash which was brought into the house by Russell Warren. Brian Cummins and Nicola Warren travelled together on September 28th, 1996, to the car park of the Belgard Inn, Tallaght, and passed on £10,000 to a man.
Following the murder of Veronica Guerin, the Warren family home was raided in September 1996. Gardai found £56,505 and £7,500 sterling inside. All four accused made full confessions when arrested two days later. Each had been paid a very small amount for their services, with about £600 in total being given to Patrick and Yvette and a lesser amount going to Nicola.
Mr O'Connell said that it was alleged that John Gilligan imported large quantities of cannabis into the State, which was then distributed by his lieutenants. Cash amounts seized in the Russell home indicated that some of the cannabis was sold in Northern Ireland as well as in various parts of the State. Det Garda Poole agreed with defence counsel Mr Paul O'Higgins SC (with Mr Luan O Braonain) that none of the accused had any previous convictions. They had initially thought that the money was the proceeds of the illegal sale of tobacco. It began to dawn on them that the money was the proceeds of drug trafficking as the sums increased. Nicola Warren turned her back on the trade in July 1996.
Witness agreed that there was no comparison between the involvement of Russell Warren and the four before the court. Until Nicola Warren and Brian Cummins passed the cash in the car park of the Belgard Inn, their only connection to the drug trade was through Russell Warren. They became involved only because of the large amount of cash that Russell was bringing into the home.
The scale of the operation got the better of them and they became involved. While Russell was significantly involved as a money transmitter for the gang, he had shown remorse to the extent that he is now under constant guard. i before this.
Judge Lynch said that he needed time to consider the facts of the case before remanding all four for sentencing today.