Judges to deliver verdicts in Gareth Hutch murder trial in October

Judges at the Special Criminal Court will deliver verdicts in the case of the three Dubliners accused of murdering Gareth Hutch in October.

Mr Hutch (36), nephew of Gerry "The Monk" Hutch was shot dead as he was getting into his car outside Avondale House flats on North Cumberland Street in Dublin on the morning of May 24th, 2016. He died as a result of four gunshot injuries.

The prosecution contend that Jonathan Keogh (33) threatened to kill Mr Hutch the evening before the shooting, that Thomas Fox (31) and Regina Keogh (41) were instrumental in planning the murder, and Mr Keogh and another man, Mr AB, were the shooters.

Mr Fox with an address at Rutland Court, Dublin 1, Ms Keogh from Avondale House, Cumberland Street North, Dublin 1 and Mr Keogh of Gloucester Place, Dublin 1, have pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Hutch.

Mr Fox has also denied unlawfully possessing a Makarov 9 mm handgun on May 23rd, 2016 at the same place.

Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding at the non-jury court, said it had been "a long trial" and the verdicts will be given "as quick as it can be done". However, he said it was "three trials within a trial" and the judges would have to consider the evidence against each co-accused.

The judge also said that a verdict in the case of Frederick 'Freddie' Thompson, whose trial for the murder of David Douglas closed last month, would have to be given priority to this case.

Verdicts in the trial of the three Dubliners accused of murdering Gareth Hutch will be handed down on October 8th, he said.

Prosecution counsel Paul Burns SC said in his closing speech last week that the three co-accused had put “considerable thought and preparation” into Mr Hutch’s “truly shocking” killing which was not a “spur of the moment” attack.

Mr Burns submitted that for whatever reason Jonathan Keogh and Regina Keogh believed that Gareth Hutch posed some sort of threat to their safety. The only way to remove that threat, he said, was to kill Mr Hutch.

The barrister said it was an unfortunate coincidence that Mr Fox and Mr Keogh “turned up” at Mary McDonnell’s flat on the evening before the killing to clean their guns and less than 12 hours later Mr Hutch was “gunned down” in the car park of the flats complex.

Mrs McDonnell (45) was initially arrested on suspicion of murdering Mr Hutch and later charged with withholding information. However, that charge was subsequently withdrawn and she has been given immunity from prosecution.

At the opening of the trial nine weeks ago, the prosecution told the court that the three co-accused each had their own part to play in bringing about the death of Mr Hutch.

Presiding judge Mr Justice Hunt, sitting with Judge Patricia Ryan and Judge Michael Walsh, remanded the three accused in custody until October 8th.