‘in fear’ | 

Monk nephew accused of assaulting next door neighbours after breaking into their house

Judge Michael Connellan granted him bail despite garda objections and adjourned the case

Andrew Phelan

Today at 16:35

A NEPHEW of Gerry “The Monk” Hutch has been accused of assaulting two of his next door neighbours after breaking into their house.

Eddie Hutch Jr (47) allegedly returned to the same house the next day and put the residents “in fear”, a court heard.

He was arrested and brought before Dublin District Court today charged over incidents next to his family home in the north inner city yesterday and on Wednesday.

Judge Michael Connellan granted him bail despite garda objections and adjourned the case.

Mr Hutch, of Portland Place, is charged with burglary, common assault on two men and criminal damage to a front door at his neighbours’ house on January 24.

He is further charged with trespass in a manner likely to cause fear at the same address on January 25.

Objecting to bail, Garda Sarah Stewart told Judge Connellan in the first incident, the accused allegedly forced the front door, entered the property and assaulted two men.

He then went to the kitchen and “smashed a glass bowl on the ground,” the garda said.

Mr Hutch was removed by the owner and had left when the gardai arrived, she said.

The next day, it was alleged, he attempted to enter the property again without permission, putting the occupants in fear. He was pushed out the door, was still at the scene when the gardai arrived and was arrested.

Applying for bail, defence solicitor Yvonne Bambury said Mr Hutch had lived next door to the same neighbours for years and there had never been any difficulties before.

The accused’s mother passed away last year and his father was murdered in 2017, she said.

His parents had owned the house, so “it’s not like he can be moved somewhere else,” Mr Bambury said.

Gda Stewart said gardai feared the accused would attempt to interfere with his neighbours again and they were in fear for their safety.

Ms Bambury said the alleged victims were not in court to give evidence of this.

The garda replied that they had been invited but “declined due to fear.”

Judge Connellan set bail at €100 with no cash required. Under conditions, Mr Hutch is to sign on daily at Mountjoy garda station, keep a curfew between 10pm and 8am and have no contact, directly or indirectly, with the alleged victims.

He was unable to provide a mobile phone number to gardai as “he doesn’t have one,” Ms Bambury said.

Mr Hutch, who has not yet entered pleas to any of the charges, was granted free legal aid after the court heard he was not working.

His father Eddie Hutch Snr (59) was murdered at his home on February 8, 2016, three days after the Regency Hotel shooting.

His mother Jane Hutch (66) was found dead from a suspected heart attack at the family home in January this year, with no foul play detected.