Armed cops supporting gardai on regular patrols outside home of Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch

The former crime boss, 60, is back in his plush Clontarf home, north Dublin, since his return to Ireland after spending three months in Spain

Gardai are being supported by armed cops as they carry out regular patrols around the home of Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch, the Irish Mirror has learned.

The former crime boss, 60, is back in his plush Clontarf home, north Dublin, since his return to Ireland after spending three months in Spain.

Officers are keeping abreast of his movements but sources say he is living life in the open.

However, operations have resumed for The Monk’s own safety, with local cops regularly patrolling around his home in The Paddocks along with the Armed Support Unit at times.

A source said: “Gardai were aware he had returned and I suppose the things that were in place before he left just resumed.

“And the local gardai there are supported by the Armed Support Unit. He’s keeping his head down but he’s around and not afraid to be in public.

“But gardai have to keep him under watch because the fact is, the feud threat still remains.

“That’s not only from the gardai’s experience dealing with the feud, there is active information it exists. And he has always been the Kinahan gang’s No1 target.”

Hutch, who doesn’t engage with local gardai in Clontarf, was acquitted of the murder of Kinahan associate David Byrne on April 17.

Over the following four weeks he spent quality time with family and friends, some of whom he had not seen since 2016, and was seen travelling around on a moped, getting lifts off relatives and going for strolls along beaches.

Hutch then darted to Lanzarote as sources said he had to travel to Spain to access his €10million. But his return surprised many, who believed he would set up abroad.

Gardai will continue to liaise with international law enforcement to keep abreast of Hutch’s movements if he does fly out of the country once more.

Another source said: “The fact is, no one knows what Gerry’s plans are. And that’s exactly how he operates.”

Hutch is said to be concerned over further investigations as gardai from the Dublin Metropolitan Region are continuing to probe allegations he directed an organised crime gang. And detectives from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation are probing his alleged connection to jailed former Garda Supt John Murphy.

But since the Dubliner walked free from the Criminal Courts of Justice, the Kinahan gang continues to crumble. Slain Byrne’s brother Liam was lifted in June in relation to an alleged plot to acquire firearms and ammunition. Fallen Kinahan No 2 Thomas ‘Bomber’ Kavanagh appeared in a UK court last week in relation to the case.

The latest blows show how the net is closing in on Daniel Kinahan, his father Christy and brother Christy Jnr, who have a €5million bounty on their heads from the US Government. The Kinahan cartel is responsible for murdering The Monk’s nephews Gary, Gareth and Derek along with his brother Eddie and two close pals Noel ‘Kingsize’ Duggan and Noel Kirwan.

Gardai have also foiled a number of plots to kill Gerry’s brother Patsy who has lost his 24-hour guard after cops were moved to tackle street crime.