Source: Irish Times
Contact: lettersed@irishtimes.ie

Protected witness admits cannabis charge, court told

A Dublin man has signed District Court pleas of guilty in relation to the
seizure of cannabis worth £300,000 in October 1996, a judge was told
yesterday.

The State's first witness protection programme was set up to safeguard
Charles Bowden, who is under heavy guard in custody. Last month the Special
Criminal Court was told he would be a prosecution witness in a separate
drugs case against another man, Patrick Holland.

When Bowden appeared before the High Court for a recent bail hearing he was
protected by armed gardaí. Both his Garda and prison officer escort wore
bulletproof jackets.

Last October Bowden (32), of The Paddock, Ashtown, Dublin, was arrested at
Lucan Garda station, headquarters for the team investigating the murder of
the journalist Veronica Guerin.

He was charged with possession for supply of £300,000 worth of cannabis on
or about October 3rd, 1996. Gardaí found the drugs in a lockup garage at
Greenmount Industrial Estate in Harold's Cross.

Yesterday Judge Diarmuid Sheridan granted an application by Mr Brendan
Counihan, of the Chief State Solicitor's Office, to order the preparation
of a probation report on Bowden.

Mr Counihan said Bowden was in custody and was not present in Dublin
Circuit Criminal Court for the probation report application. He had signed
pleas of guilty in the District Court but had not affirmed them yet.

Judge Sheridan noted Bowden was not obliged to affirm the signed pleas. If
he changed his plea, the case could not proceed on September 24th, he said.

© Copyright: The Irish Times