Convicted drug dealer John Gilligan has been found guilty of threatening to kill two prison officers in Portlaoise Prison. He was remanded to be sentenced on Thursday.
However, Gilligan was found not guilty in a separate charge of assault.
Mr Justice Richard Johnson at the Special Criminal Court said he was satisfied that an assault had taken place, but was not satisfied that it fell within Section 3 of the Non-Fatal-Offences-Against-the-Person Act of 1997. Section 3 specifies an assault causing harm.
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John Gilligan
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The trial heard that Gilligan said he would "get" Mr Martin Ryan and Mr Declan O'Reilly's families. The trial also heard that Mr Ryan and Mr O'Reilly would be killed on their way to work and Gilligan would prove he wasn't joking.
The court heard that Gilligan made the threats during a strip search before a meeting with his solicitor. He had earlier argued with the prison officers over the opening of the tuck shop and was alleged to have hit Mr Ryan.
Gilligan is serving a 28-year prison sentence imposed by the Special Criminal Court on March 15th last year for importing cannabis resin.
Gilligan (50), with addresses at Corduff Avenue, Blanchardstown, Dublin, Jessbrook Equestrian Centre, Mucklon, Enfield, Co Kildare, was convicted of 11 offences of unlawfully importing cannabis resin into the State on various dates between July 1st, 1994 and October 6th, 1996, of unlawfully possessing cannabis resin for sale or supply on the same dates, and that on or about October 3rd, 1996, at Greenmount Industrial Estate, Harold's Cross, Dublin, he had cannabis resin for sale or supply.
He was cleared of the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin on June 26th, 1996.