CONVICTED CRIMINAL John Gilligan (57) has complained about the number of times he has been brought before the District Court on a mobile phone charge.
He claimed yesterday to have appeared before the District Court in relation to the matter on 17 occasions. He is next due to appear on March 30th.
Gilligan is charged with the possession of a mobile phone at his cell in Portlaoise Prison on July 30th, 2008.
If convicted he faces a possible five-year sentence.
Appearing at a sitting of Portlaoise District Court yesterday, he complained about delays in the case.
“There has been 17 remands in this case, your honour, and I haven’t asked for one of them.”
During the hearing Gilligan cross-examined Supt Philip Lyons on the issuing of his arrest warrant in November 2008.
He queried the three-month delay between the search of his cell and his arrest over a “phone found in a bin”, and asked: “Are the guards that slow?”
Gilligan also asked why he was not being charged in connection with a phone charger and other items discovered during the search on July 30th.
Judge Gerard Haughton told him to restrict his questioning to the warrant, saying “the charger is a matter for the director of public prosecution”.
When Judge Haughton expressed his belief that there was no issue arising from the delay as the charge was an indictable matter, Gilligan said no submission had been made in relation to the delay.
“If you are impartial and independent like you are supposed to be, you would let me finish my case,” Gilligan said, adding that “in my having discussions with you my train of thought is gone off”.
“You are shouting me down,” Gilligan added.
“I asked the question and I am asking you not to think for me,” he told Judge Haughton.