A prisoner appeared in court today charged over a jail-based drug-dealing racket.
Brian Rattigan is accused of having two mobile phones in the country’s maximum security prison the day after being detained over a massive heroin seizure in Dublin.
The 29-year-old, from Cooley Road, Drimnagh, in the south of the city, was remanded in custody ahead of a trial at the Circuit Criminal Court later this year.
Cloverhill District Court heard that Rattigan is facing five charges - possessing a Samsung and a Nokia mobile phone in cell 42 on the E1 wing of Portlaoise Prison without the governor’s permission on May 22nd, 2008.
He is also charged with possessing more than €13,000 euro of heroin with intent to sell or supply at Hughes Road South, Walkinstown, south Dublin, a day earlier.
Rattigan also faces two other drugs charges - for possession of heroin and possession for sale or supply on May 21st 2008.
The 10-minute court sitting was told that Rattigan made no reply when charged.
The Courts Service said Judge Brian Sheridan sent Rattigan forward for trial to the Circuit Criminal Court on all charges.
Rattigan, who was remanded in custody, was charged under the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Prisons Act.
Drimnagh, where Rattigan is from, has been plagued by a turf war between rival drugs gangs for several years with more than a dozen murders blamed on the bloody row with criminals from neighbouring Crumlin.
PA