Convicted murderer Brian Rattigan has appeared at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court charged with drug dealing from his prison cell.
Rattigan (29), Cooley Road, Drimnagh, Dublin, is charged with possessing two mobile phones in his prison cell in Portlaoise and is also charged in relation to a €1 million heroin seizure in Walkinstown, Dublin.
The phones were found on the E1 landing of Portlaoise Prison, on May 22nd, 2008, and the drugs were seized the previous day at a house at Hughes Road South in Walkinstown.
Rattigan faces a total of five charges, two relating to the mobile phones and three relating to the seizure of heroin. He is charged with possessing a Samsung and a Nokia mobile phone in Portlaoise Prison on May 22nd, 2008.
One of the drugs charges falls under Section 15(A) of the Misuse of Drugs Act, which deals with commercial quantities of drugs valued at €13,000 or more. A third drugs charge relates to the possession of heroin at the same location in Walkinstown on the same date.
Rattigan was sent forward from Cloverhill District Court last month by Judge Brian Sheridan.
Defence counsel Brendan Grehan told Judge Katherine Delahunt that he is still awaiting some disclosure from the State. He said he has also asked for an explanation from the Director of Public Prosecutions in relation to the delay in charging his client with the offences.
Judge Delahunt remanded Rattigan in custody and adjourned the case for mention to next May.
Rattigan is currently serving a life sentence. He was found guilty at the Central Criminal Court last December of the murder of Declan Gavin (21), Mourne Road, Drimnagh, at Crumlin Road on August 25th, 2001.