The Special Criminal Court was told today that two former protected witnesses, Mr Charles Bowden and Mr Russell Warren, are outside the Court’s jurisdiction and are unavailable to give evidence at the hearing of an application by the State to confiscate the assets of convicted drugs dealer John Gilligan.
The court ruled last month that Mr Bowden and Mr Warren had relevant evidence to give in the court's decision on whether Gilligan benefited from drug trafficking.
The pair were released from prison last year after giving evidence under the Witness Protection Programme at several trials connected with Gilligan's drugs gang and the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin.
The hearing into Gilligan's assets was adjourned to allow the State to ascertain the whereabouts of the two witnesses.
However, today State counsel Mr Peter Charleton SC said that Mr Bowden and Mr Warren were outside the jurisdiction and under no compulsion to return home.
The court adjourned the hearing until February 18th when it will hear closing submissions on the application.