The state witness whose evidence helped jail four members of the Dublin drugs gang led by John Gilligan has started a new life outside prison, it emerged today.
It is understood that Charles Bowden (38) was released from Dublin's Arbour Hill prison, where he was serving a six-year sentence for drugs and firearms offences, early yesterday morning.
He is expected to move abroad with his girlfriend under the State witness protection scheme.
Bowden was an integral part of the massive cannabis importation racket run by Gilligan, who was recently sentenced to a record 28 years in jail for his role in its operation.
Following the shooting of the Sunday Independentcrime reporter Veronica Guerin in June 1996, suspicion fell on the gang.
Bowden was arrested in October and agreed to give evidence against his former associates in exchange for a reduced sentence and partial immunity.
Two of them, Paul Ward and Brian Meehan, are serving life sentences for Ms Guerin's murder after being convicted at Dublin's Special Criminal Court in 1998 and 1999, respectively.
PA