The Criminal Assets Bureau has applied to the High Court to strike out a notice that drug dealer John Gilligan and some of his family members have secured, aimed at frustrating the sale of assets seized and now being disposed of by the bureau.
Mr Justice George Birmingham has said he hopes to rule on the matter in two weeks. Gardaí are hopeful of a speedy resolution because Mr Gilligan’s Jessbrook show jumping arena and adjacent lands are currently being offered for sale.
Mr Gilligan secured a notice of lis pendens in the High Court on September 18th in an application in which he was joined by his estranged wife Geraldine, son Darren and daughter Treacy.
Jessbrook
It relates to the 3,500-seater Jessbrook arena and adjacent 50 acres situated near Johnstownbridge on the Kildare-Meath border, as well as three houses in Dublin.
The inclusion of the properties and lands on the registry of lis pendens is effectively a warning to prospective buyers that there remains litigation outstanding on the assets, which would deter many prospective buyers.
Mr Gilligan took the court action in September, just three weeks before he was freed from Portlaoise Prison after 17 years, and just after he had lost his final Cab appeal and the seized Jessbrook arena and lands were offered for sale.
