Drug dealer gets legal aid in court battle with CAB over his mansion

Cabra criminal David Waldron (44) is facing CAB proceedings over a residence at Darview Heights, Laraheen, Gorey, Co Wexford; a dwelling on the Ratoath Road, in Dublin; and a house in Leixlip, Co Kildare.

He has been a long-term target for gardai and has links to the Kinahan cartel.

Raided

The Co Wexford property is a rural mansion protected by high walls and intercom entry. It is covered in natural stone and also houses a gym and a top-of-the-range kitchen.

The house was raided by the bureau, along with 23 other properties linked to Waldron, both professional and private residences, in November 2017.

The raids involved officers from the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau with back-up from the Emergency Response Unit and other armed units.

Waldron was serving time in prison for a savage assault when the Co Wexford mansion was built on foot of a detailed planning application submitted to Wexford County Council.

Waldron was jailed for two years after he and three other men were locked up for their role in a savage assault on a man who had shown up at the home in Ratoath Road, Cabra, where his wife and four children lived on August 16, 2013.

The four men tracked him down to a Cabra pub and attacked the victim. They chased him out of the pub, where they continued to beat him after knocking him to the ground.

Waldron grabbed a pint glass and used it in the attack. He also picked up a bar stool and chased the victim with it before throwing it at his head.

Outside the pub he punched the victim until he fell to the ground and then continued to kick and stamp on him.

Also jailed on that occasion, in March 2015, was Waldron's brother Christopher 'Git' Waldron (37), who is also the subject of High Court proceedings by the CAB.

In March, the High Court ordered the appointment of a receiver over three luxury watches alleged to have been purchased with the proceeds of crime by Christopher.

He denies the watches are the proceeds of crime and he is also fighting the CAB in court about the watches and two dwellings in Cabra and Finglas.

The watches are a gentleman's stainless steel Breitling Super Avenger Auto Chronograph, a Lady's 18k Rolex Datejust Watch on diamond set president bracelet with mother of pearl diamond dial and 18k diamond bezel, as well as a gentleman's stainless steel Cartier Santos Automatic Watch on galbee bracelet with silver ramos moveable dial and a separate crown.

Christopher Waldron has more than 40 previous convictions, including two for assault and one for drug dealing in 2001.

Slain

David Waldron has nine convictions, including one for drug dealing, and both he and Christopher were closely associated with northside criminals such as slain crimelord Eamon 'The Don' Dunne.

The CAB has been aggressively fighting applications for free legal aid from known criminals in recent years, but it was not successful in the High Court on Tuesday.

The case against the Waldron brothers will continue at the court later this month where a full hearing is expected.

Gardai have expressed concern about criminals receiving legal aid ever since John Gilligan was handed it when he was first targeted by the CAB more than 20 years ago.

He used it to appeal the cases all the way to the Supreme Court, costing the taxpayer millions of euro.