Mr John Gilligan was in Portlaoise Prison last night, to face a charge of murdering Veronica Guerin. His three-year fight against extradition from England ended with a flight home on a military aircraft.
He was taken to a Garda van at Casement Aerodrome at 4.30 p.m., where 17 charges were put to him by Det Insp Thomas O'Loughlin.
Mr Gilligan (47) made a brief appearance at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin before being taken to Mountjoy Prison and on to Portlaoise.
The High Court in London yesterday dismissed as "worthless" Mr Gilligan's latest challenge against extradition. He was arrested at Heathrow Airport in October 1996 with more than £300,000 in his briefcase.
Dismissing a habeas corpus application against his return to Ireland, Lord Justice Brown, sitting with Mr Justice Klevan, said Mr Gilligan's application was not merely misconceived but was an abuse of process.
Mr Gilligan had argued that he should not be returned to trial at the non-jury Special Criminal Court, as it was not recognised in English law. He had also sought an adjournment of the hearing for up to 12 weeks so a transcript of evidence from the Special Criminal Court on his case could be sent to him.
Mr Gilligan was not at the 20-minute hearing in London. Earlier this week his application for transcripts from the Special Criminal Court was rejected, and Mr Shane Collery, for the prosecution, told the High Court he was now using the machinery of the court for no other reason than to delay his return to Ireland. Lord Justice Brown said Mr Gilligan's grounds for challenging his return to Ireland were not only worthless but could have been raised earlier.
In his ruling, Mr Justice Klevan said Mr Gilligan's application was "wholly devoid of merit" and was an abuse of process. On non-jury courts, Mr Justice Klevan said there was no requirement for a trial by judge and jury under the Backing of Warrants (Republic of Ireland) Act 1965 which facilitated his return to Ireland. Mr Gilligan was brought from Highdown Prison in Sutton, south London, to RAF Northolt at lunchtime and handed over to Garda Det Insp O'Loughlin and Det Garda Michael Murray.