Gerry Hutch spoke once at trial to say ‘not guilty’. Today, he finds out if the judges agree

‘The Monk’ will finally learn his fate after gangland ‘trial of the century’

A court artist sketch of Gerry Hutch as he listened to Jonathan Dowdall give evidence against him last December.

April 17 2023 02:30 AM

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When Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch got to his feet in the dock last October to declare in a clear, loud voice “not guilty”, the murmuring Special Criminal Court fell silent.

His two-word plea signalled the start of what was billed by many as the gangland “trial of the century”.

Major security operation to be in place ahead of today’s verdict in Gerry Hutch trial

 • 3h ago

The Special Criminal Court will this morning deliver its judgment on whether or not Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch is guilty of the Regency Hotel murder.

A significant security operation will be in place at the Criminal Courts of Justice in Parkgate Street, Dublin, with the verdict due to be handed down after 11am.

Mr Hutch (60), of the Paddocks in Clontarf, Dublin, has denied the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel on February 5, 2016.

If convicted, he will face the mandatory sentence of life imprisonment.

Gardaí believe that, if found not guilty of murder, Mr Hutch will leave the jurisdiction almost immediately and return to Spain.

A separate criminal inquiry into Mr Hutch is ongoing on suspicion that he directed a criminal network.

He was arrested by members of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation in September 2022, prior to standing trial for the Regency murder.

Mr Hutch was questioned for several hours before being released without charge and returned to custody in Wheatfield Prison.

Since then, detectives have been preparing a file to be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.e

It is the State’s case that he was one of the gunmen dressed in Garda tactical gear who entered the hotel and fatally wounded Mr Byrne.

The prosecution’s main evidence during the lengthy trial related to audio recordings in which the accused allegedly confessed to the murder, and testimony from former Sinn Féin councillor Jonathan Dowdall.

The ex-politician told the non-jury court that he handed Mr Hutch a hotel room key used by one of the gunmen, Kevin Murray, the day before the murder.

He also gave evidence that he met the defendant in Whitehall Park in the days after the murder, during which Mr Hutch allegedly admitted his involvement.

The defence have denied this. Brendan Grehan SC, for Mr Hutch, argued that the former councillor lied about the interactions.

In his closing speech, Mr Grehan said he would “challenge anyone to find any unambiguous admission” in any of the audio recordings. 

He also submitted that there was no evidence put forward that his client was “even in the country let alone at the Regency, apart from Jonathan Dowdall’s word”.

The three judges, with Ms Justice Tara Burns presiding, will

also give their verdicts in relation to Mr Hutch’s two co-accused, Jason Bonney and Paul Murphy. 

Both men are alleged to have helped the gang involved in the murder by collecting them after the shooting.