Gangster by John Mooney Read Free Book Online

an easy job—break in, steal sweets and chocolates and sell them off. He would have no problem selling such items, not with Easter approaching. The gang assembled at the usual rendezvous point outside the industrial estate and made their way to the sweet factory. Once inside, Gilligan started helping himself to jelly babies, toffees and chocolates of all flavours. ‘Check and make sure everything is okay outside,’ he ordered one of the gang whilst stuffing his mouth full.
    ‘Yes, boss.’
    While Gilligan continued to wolf down the sweets, the raider walked over to the office window and opened the blind, only to see a security guard staring back at him. Not knowing whether the guard had realised that he was a thief, the raider shouted and alerted Gilligan to what had happened.
    ‘Did he look back at you?’ Gilligan enquired.
    ‘I don’t know, he just looked at me and kept going,’ the raider responded.
    ‘You’re probably just on edge. It will be all right. No one would notice us in here,’ Gilligan responded.
    The security guard had indeed seen the thief, but rather than tackle him on his own, he drove on and radioed for help and the gardaí. Gilligan had made a fatal mistake and within a matter of minutes Rose Confectionery was surrounded by gardaí, some of whom, knowing his ways of old, suspected Gilligan might be inside. The gardaí approached the warehouse and shouted at whoever was inside to come out. By this stage, the gang was in a state of panic. Gilligan, however, reassured them, saying they had stolen nothing and would only be charged with breaking and entering. He wasn’t too concerned, even if he was convicted; he thought he would be going to prison anyway because of the Nilfisk charge. The two sentences would run concurrently. One of the gang tried to hide but couldn’t find a suitable place. Gilligan thought this was funny and asked if he jumped in with the jelly babies, would the others put the lid back on the jar. He knew he was caught red-handed.
    Although he had rehearsed various escape routes out of Robinhood hundreds of times in his mind, this time he couldn’t escape. He gave himself up, walking out the door with his hands placed on his head to the astonishment of the gardaí. Never expecting to beat the Nilfisk charges, he pleaded guilty and was released on bail. His case came up for hearing the following May in the Circuit Criminal Court when he appeared before Judge Frank Roe. Detective Inspector John McLoughlin gave evidence of having known Gilligan for 15 years and told the court he was the leader of a gang which robbed warehouses all over the country. Gilligan, he said, was one of Ireland’s biggest players in organised crime, and his only source of income was from crime. Details of Gilligan’s extensive criminal record were read out to the court. Burglary, attempted larceny, stealing and receiving, the list went on and on. Gilligan was physically sick—he had hoped he would get a suspended sentence, or a ‘bender’, as he called it. Two months previous, he had walked away from the Nilfisk heist a free man; now he was going to jail for stealing sweets.
    Judge Roe sentenced him to 18 months in Mountjoy Prison, despite hearing evidence of his good character from the director of a riding centre where he stabled three ponies. This woman described him as a kind, generous and considerate person who placed his ponies at the disposal of disadvantaged children. Although things hadn’t gone his way, he felt reassured going into prison that he would have plenty of cash when freed. The gangster had made thousands stealing from warehouses; thievery had proved to be a lucrative occupation for him. Little did he know he would get to play a pivotal role in the biggest robbery in the world.
    [ 1 ] Interview with the author.
    [ 2 ] Interview with the author.

Chapter 4
    The Bonds
    ‘He was a little Hitler.’
    IRA member talking about Gilligan
    Gilligan opened his eyes and wondered if his