There is a “real risk” that Jonathan Gill, who is wanted in Northern Ireland to face a charge of murdering gangland figure Robbie Lawlor, will not attend future court dates and should not be granted bail, a High Court judge has ruled.
Judge Patrick McGrath delivered a decision on Gill’s application to be granted bail while he awaits judgment on the request to extradite him.
The judge refused bail to Gill today on foot of objections by gardaí.
Last month, the High Court heard that Gill had been hit with a liability of more than €860,000 by the Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) for unpaid taxes.
The liability formed part of an objection by the State to Gill (44) being granted bail while he awaits a decision on whether he will be extradited to Northern Ireland to face the murder charge. Gardaí cited a number of reasons, including access to large sums of cash and alleged links to organised crime.
Gemma McLoughlin Burke, for Gill, had argued that the €860,000 liability was largely made up of interest payments for income tax going back to 2005. She said her client was still in negotiations regarding the income tax he owes and the liability with the Cab.
Det Gda Robert Cumerford previously told Leanora Frawley, for the State, that Gill was arrested following the issue of a Trade and Co-operation Agreement warrant by the Northern Irish authorities.
The warrant alleges that Gill, of Malahide Road, Clontarf, was part of a joint enterprise to murder Lawlor on April 4th, 2020. The murder of Lawlor, the detective said, arose out of an ongoing feud involving criminal gangs from Dublin, Drogheda and Sligo in which a number of key personalities had been killed.
Gardaí believe Lawlor murdered Drogheda teenager Keane Mulready-Woods, whose remains were dismembered before being discovered in various locations.
[ Derry man convicted of terrorist offences arising from PSNI data breachOpens in new window ]
Gill faces a further charge that between April 2nd and 5th, 2020, he possessed a 9mm self-loading pistol with intent to endanger life or cause serious damage to property, or to allow another person to do so.
The respondent has challenged his extradition, claiming he would not receive the same protections in the UK courts that he would in the European Union.
Cumerford cited in his objection to bail the seriousness of the charges, both of which carry a potential life sentence, and the weight of the evidence as detailed by the PSNI in the warrant. He said allegations that Gill had links to organised crime created further concerns that he had the means to leave the country.
The detective further cited a liability Gill has with the Cab for more than €860,000. Cumerford said the liability indicated that Gill had access to large sums of cash which could be used to leave the country.
The court also previously heard that Gill’s father, John Gill, had offered an independent surety of €100,000 for his son’s bail.
In submissions for the State, Frawley said the evidence established that Gill had access to large amounts of money which the court could be satisfied came from an unlawful source. While the State accepted that Gill’s father was a suitable surety and the €100,000 was legitimate, Frawley said the court must weigh up all the factors.
In response, McLoughlin Burke said the State was “scraping the barrel” in its objections.
