‘drug problems’ | 

Kinahan gunman who shot at John Hutch will need ‘intense’ rehabilitation help

Michael Carroll (43) of Bride Street in Dublin will be sentenced in October after he pleaded guilty to various offences including attempted murder

Today at 16:41

A gunman who tried to “ingratiate” himself with the Kinahan/Byrne crime faction by firing a gun at a brother of Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch will need “intense help” as he tries to rehabilitate himself and deal with his drug problems, a barrister has said.

Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha SC asked the Special Criminal Court to consider suspending part of the sentence for Michael Carroll, who counsel said can have a positive future with the right help.

Mr Ó Lideadha said his client had been doing very well in prison and had impressed the prison authorities with his progress until a recent “substantial problem”.

He added: “There is hope for him in the future but he will need intense help, ongoing help.”

Mr Ó Lideadha said he wanted to emphasise that his client carried out the shooting because he “wanted to ingratiate himself with organised criminals” due to his drug debts.

Counsel said that Carroll had grown up with five siblings and had a “loving and caring family”, but he suffered a trauma at an early age that contributed to his early use of drugs and drug addiction.

Carroll’s sister wrote a letter to the court which Mr Ó Lideadha said states that she had a close relationship with her brother, but his use of drugs and involvement in crime “broke the family’s hearts”.

She said he became someone she did not recognise, but since the defendant went to prison and engaged in his rehabilitation, she said she “seems to have her brother back”.

Mr Justice Tony Hunt said he would have to impose a “significant sentence”, but suggested that the probation service could be involved in Carroll’s rehabilitation. The judge agreed that there is “value in turning people around” and that society benefits when prisoners are rehabilitated.

He said the three-judge court will need time to consider what sentence to impose and he adjourned the matter to October 2.

Michael Carroll (43), of Bride St, Dublin 8 was originally charged with the attempted murder of John Hutch (who was then 63 but has since died) in a shooting at his Drumalee Avenue home, on North Circular Road, Dublin 7, on September 2, 2016.

Last March, Carroll – who was extradited from the UK in April last year – instead pleaded guilty to a new charge of having in his possession or control a firearm with intent to endanger life, contrary to Section 15 of the Firearms Act, at Drumalee Avenue on the same date.

Carroll was also charged with twice attempting to murder Edward Staunton on the night of March 26, 2017 at James Joyce Street, Dublin 1 and again at Peadar Kearney House, Railway St, Dublin 1.

In that attack, Carroll ran over his victim in a car – knocking him into the air – before tracking Mr Staunton down and shooting him twice as he lay on the ground awaiting help. Carroll pleaded guilty last March to one of those two charges; the attempted murder of Mr Staunton at Railway Street on March 26, 2017.

At a previous hearing, Ms Vera Hutch, John Hutch’s wife, told the court that she saw a man with two guns at the rear of her house and thought she was going to be shot. She said that the incident never leaves her mind and that “everything stopped” for her that day.

Detective Garda Michael Lennon from the Bridewell Garda Station told prosecuting counsel Sean Gillane SC that the first offence arose out of an incident at Drumalee Avenue on North Circular Road on September 2, 2016, where a number of shots were fired in the direction of resident John Hutch.

Det Gda Lennon said that Carroll went to the rear of Mr Hutch’s residence and placed a tracker device under a Nissan car owned by Mr Hutch. The tracker had noted Mr Hutch’s movements between August 30 and September 2.

Carroll, the court heard, was captured on CCTV footage carrying a bag and leaving the School Street Flats on September 2 before getting into a stolen Opel Astra.

Mr Hutch and his wife were parking up at the rear of their house when the Opel Astra approached them at speed and came to an abrupt halt. Carroll came to Mr Hutch’s vehicle armed with two firearms, the first containing seven rounds of ammunition and the second had six rounds. Mr Hutch ran into his back garden shutting the gate.

Carroll, who dropped one of the two weapons, was seen running to the gate with one revolver in his hand before firing into the garden “indiscriminately” where the victim’s daughter was also present, said Mr Gillane.

In the CCTV footage, Vera Hutch could be seen running across the road. Mr Gillane said that all rounds of ammunition were fired from the revolver and Carroll had retrieved the second weapon before escaping. The Opel Astra car was later found burnt out.

Detective Garda Sheila Sheehan gave evidence about the attempted murder of Mr Staunton on March 26, 2017, and the court heard that the two separate attacks on the victim were very close together on that date.

Mr Gillane said Mr Staunton was visiting a friend in the Liberty House area of Dublin 1 when he became suspicious of an individual in a Ford Focus vehicle. Mr Staunton proceeded up James Joyce Street in Dublin 1 when the vehicle sped up and drove directly towards him.

Mr Staunton was cycling on the footpath when the car hit him, driving the victim into the air and onto the bonnet of the car. Mr Gillane said the incident was captured on CCTV footage and Mr Staunton could be seen running in the direction of Peadar Kearney House on Railway Street immediately afterwards.

Carroll, who was driving the car, attempted to move the Ford Focus before emerging from the vehicle.

Mr Staunton was making his way on foot to Peadar Kearney House when he alerted several members of the public to his injuries and fell on the ground. The victim remained lying on the ground waiting for medical help as Carroll made his way to the location.

Mr Gillane said Carroll produced a firearm when he saw Mr Staunton lying on the ground and discharged four shots from the gun. Mr Staunton was hit twice in the lower body which caused members of the public to run in fear.

According to Det Gda Sheehan, Mr Staunton was in intensive care in the Mater Hospital until April 7 and had remained in the high dependency unit until his condition improved.

The court heard that Carroll has 58 previous convictions which include six robbery and three theft offences as well as convictions for drug offences and possession of knives.