A Dublin man has signed District Court pleas of guilty in relation to the seizure of cannabis worth £300,000 in October 1996, a judge was told yesterday. The State's first witness protection programme was set up to safeguard Charles Bowden, who is under heavy guard in custody. Last month the Special Criminal Court was told he would be a prosecution witness in a separate drugs case against another man, Patrick Holland.
When Bowden appeared before the High Court for a recent bail hearing he was protected by armed gardai. Both his Garda and prison officer escort wore bullet-proof jackets.
Last October, Bowden (32), of The Paddock, Ashtown, Dublin, was arrested at Lucan Garda station, headquarters for the team investigating the murder of the journalist Veronica Guerin.
He was charged with possession for supply of £300,000 worth of cannabis on or about October 3rd, 1996. Gardai found the drugs in a lock-up garage at Greenmount Industrial Estate in Harold's Cross.
Yesterday, Judge Diarmuid Sheridan granted an application by Mr Brendan Counihan, of the Chief State Solicitor's Office, to order the preparation of a probation report on Bowden.
Mr Counihan said Bowden was in custody and was not present in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for the probation report application. He had signed pleas of guilty in the District Court but had not affirmed them yet.
Judge Sheridan noted Bowden was not obliged to affirm the signed pleas. If he changed his plea, the case could not proceed on September 24th, he said.