Daniel Kinahan to appear by video-link before Special Criminal Court

Alleged crime gang leader Daniel Kinahan will participate by video-link from prison when his case comes before the Special Criminal Court on Monday.Kinahan was charged last August with directing an organised crime group between 2015 and 2017 and remanded in custody to Portlaoise Prison. His case is listed for mention before the non-jury court at 2pm, when the three judges are expected to be updated by lawyers for the Director of Public Prosecutions concerning preparation of a book of evidence. When Kinahan appeared before the court on August 9th last, two hours after arriving in Ireland following his extradition from the United Arab Emirates, he was not legally represented. READ MOREOn Monday afternoon, the court is expected to be told whether Kinahan has instructed lawyers or is applying for representation via the criminal legal aid scheme.It is understood he approached a number of criminal lawyers in relation to taking on his case privately. If he applies for legal aid, he would have to provide a statement of means. At the August 9th hearing, he said he did not have time to arrange representation and had assumed a family member would have contacted some legal representation.He was told he would have time to put in place a legal team before the case returned to court. He was also told he had the option of appearing in person or via video-link at the next hearing. Sources said he later indicated he wished to appear in person but more recently opted for video-link. Kinahan faces a single charge of “directing the activities of a criminal organisation” between October 18th, 2015, and April 6th, 2017, contrary to section 71a of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, as amended. He is the first Irish person extradited from the UAE under a new permanent extradition treaty, which came into force last year. He had lived in Dubai with his wife and five children for the last 10 years. [ Gardaí trying to track whereabouts of Christy Kinahan snrOpens in new window ]He was arrested in Dubai in April on foot of an extradition request from Ireland and was in custody there until he was extradited.