Lawyers for John Gilligan, who is accused of the murder of journalist Veronica Guerin, submitted at the Special Criminal Court today that he has no case to answer in relation to the murder and drugs and firearms charges.
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Mr Terence Mc Donald QC said that the evidence of protected witness Russell Warren could not be relied upon to convict Gilligan of murder.
He said that Warren must be treated "potentially as an accomplice in the murder of Veronica Guerin." He said that if there was a jury in the trial they would have to be warned to be careful of convicting on the uncorroborated evidence of an accomplice.
Mr Mc Donald said that Warren had admitted to the court that he had committed perjury in a previous court case and he submitted that Warren had also committed perjury in this trial and had lied to the court "on fundamental matters."
Counsel also submitted that at material times in the case Warren was a police informer and that had created a mutual dependency that made his evidence unreliable.
He said that Warren's account of his movements on the day of the murder had been contradicted "at every turn'' by State witnesses.
Mr Mc Donald said that Warren was "a person of bad character'' who without any compunction had incriminated his entire family and subjected them to the risk of imprisonment to "satisfy his own selfish needs.''
Gilligan's other counsel, Mr Michael O' Higgins SC, submitted that he has no case to answer in relation to the other drugs and firearms counts against him.
He submitted that the only evidence to support these counts was the testimony of protected witness Charles Bowden who was an accomplice, a police informer and a man of bad character.
"Mr Bowden doesn't land a single clean punch on Mr Gilligan,' said Mr O' Higgins.
It was the 36th day of the trial of John Gilligan (48), with addresses at Corduff Avenue, Blanchardstown, Dublin; Jessbrook Equestrian Centre, Mucklon, Enfield, Co Kildare; and HM Prison Belmarsh, London, who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Sunday Independent crime reporter Veronica Guerin(37) at Naas Road, Clondalkin, Dublin on June 26th, 1996.
Gilligan also denies fifteen other counts alleging the importation of cannabis and firearms and ammunition offences.
The prosecution has claimed that John Gilligan was "in control and command'' of a criminal gang that imported and distributed large amounts of cannabis and that he organised the murder of Ms Guerin.
The trial is continuing.