Brian Rattigan was so confident he would escape a murder conviction that he spent the hours before the verdict planning his night's telly.

The 28-year-old was overheard discussing the TV schedule with his family, just minutes before a jury convicted him on a majority verdict.

He chatted happily as his mother asked him: "What's on the television?" But less than an hour later he had been hit with a life sentence for Declan Gavin's killing.

In a display of staggering cockiness, the feared murderer even told his family he believed the jury members were confused, as they had requested to listen to specific fingerprint evidence a second time.

Having escaped from his first murder trial without a verdict earlier this year, the Drimnagh gang boss known as King Ratt believed he would continue to evade the law.

Having viciously murdered 21-year-old Declan Gavin in Crumlin eight years ago, the arrogant gangster believed he would never have to pay for the crime.

By yesterday morning, when the jury had been deliberating for more than 10 hours, Rattigan began to visibly relax. He commented to his family: "Ten hours, that shows there's doubt." Such was his over-confidence that he even called over to a plain-clothes garda in the court on Tuesday, brazenly asking: "Do I know you from somewhere? I recognise your face."

He then grinned at the garda, shrugging his shoulders as he said: "Just hoping it all works out."

Rattigan, who is currently serving a cumulative prison sentence of 13 years for assault, drug and firearm possession clearly believed he was about to escape a life sentence.

He had done everything in his power to stop the trial, and was helped by the non-appearance of certain witnesses and a lack of cooperation from others. On Wednes-day, when the jury asked to hear evidence of fingerprinting experts again, he became even more arrogant.

Convinced the seven men and four women of the jury panel were unsure about the evidence relating to his handprint at the murder scene, he began swaggering in and out to the court room. He even asked journalists: "Have ye got all that down by now?"

The career criminal wore his crimes like a badge of honour, and enjoyed the image of him cultivated in every newspaper. Despite his over-confidence, he was proven wrong yesterday morning when the jury convicted him of murder after more than 11 hours of deliberation.

Remaining quiet and subdued for the first time throughout the trial, he nodded as Judge George Bermingham imposed a life sentence and answered only: "Okay, your honour."

According to sources, Rattigan is now expected to appeal the verdict.

The convicted drug dealer was found guilty of the murder of Declan Gavin (21) outside a takeaway in Crumlin on August 25, 2001.

Rattigan had pleaded not guilty to the murder on August 25, 2001.

- AOIFE FINNERAN