JOHN GILLIGAN HAS given evidence at the High Court in the action he’s taking against the Criminal Assets Bureau. Gilligan, 58, who is currently serving a sentence for drug dealing, is challenging CAB’s aquisition of properties owned by him and his family.

Gilligan told the court this afternoon that he always had money, but it was never the result of illegal activity, RTÉ reports. He said he earned money from a number of sources since he was 10 years old. He said he had worked at sea, sold trucks, and made and sold prison art.

He said he made no money from dealing drugs. He also said he was a professional gambler and the more money he bet, the more he won. He said he would work as a gambler upon his release from prison.

Gilligan is challenging CAB’s possession of four properties, including the Jessbrook Equestrian Centre, which the organisation says were bought with money made illegally. Gilligan said Jessbrook was bought by his wife for £7,000 and that he paid £75,000 for a house for his daughter.

He is due to continue giving  evidence tomorrow, and his daughter Tracey is expected to travel from Spain to present her evidence to the court.