FOUR WHO COUNTED DRUGS CASH GET BAIL

Two couples who were jailed last week for counting drugs money for
Dublin criminal John Gilligan were granted bail by the Court of
Criminal Appeal yesterday.

The hearing of an appeal against the severity of the sentences imposed
by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court was fixed for March 22nd.

Yvette and Patrick Warren, both aged 69, of Heatherview Lane,
Tallaght, Co Dublin, were jailed for 18 months.

Their daughter, Nicola Cummins (26), of Clonfert Road, Crumlin,
Dublin, was sentenced to 12 months and her husband, Brian (26), was
jailed for eight months.

None of the four had any previous convictions.

The operation in which more than IEP1.5 million was counted by the
accused began two days after journalist Veronica Guerin was murdered
in June 1996, and ended when gardai raided the accused's home in
September 1996. Another family member, Russell Warren, has been given
a five-year jail term for money-laundering and is under the Garda
Witness Protection Programme.

The Court of Criminal Appeal set bail for each of the accused at their
own bond of IEP1,000, the same bail terms as before their appearance
in the Circuit Criminal Court.