‘Killer in drag was identified in newspaper photographs by gardai’

Detectives tell court they knew gunman in disguise

TWO gardai told a court yesterday they identified Patrick Hutch as the killer in drag at the Regency Hotel.

Hutch, 25, denies he murdered David Byrne at a boxing match weigh-in at the North Dublin venue on February 5, 2016.

Det Gda Fergal O’flaherty and Det Gda Jonathan Brady told Special Criminal Court they recognised the defendant after viewing press photos.

Det Gda Brady said: “I was 100% certain of it – I had no doubt.”

The officers, both based at Mountjoy Garda station, said they knew Hutch for several years.

They both had investigated a shooting in which he was the victim in 2014.

The court heard when spoken to by gardai at the Mater Hospital Hutch refused to co-operate with the investigation.

Other attempts were made to get Hutch to assist with the inquiry but he refused.

He was then arrested under the provisions of Section 30 of the Offences Against the Person Act and detained. Det Gda O’flaherty said he has been a member of An Garda Siochana for 20 years and has spent all his service in the north inner city.

He said he knew Hutch as a “young fella, coming and going”. In all his dealings he said Hutch was “always very mannerly, always very polite”.

Detective Sergeant Patrick O’toole told the court he obtained a warrant after the Regency Shooting and went to a newspaper office in Dublin.

There he took possession of an iphone from photographer Colin O’riordan and a memory card of images from photographer Ernie Leslie.

Det Sgt Patrick O’toole told the court that a Detective Inspector from the PSNI had identified the flat cap wearer as Kevin Murray who is now dead.

The court heard that investigators printed off these images and toured Garda stations in Dublin as they attempted to identify the suspects.

This process was then changed to gardai viewing images in the base in Ballymun.

On the day of the identification Det Gda Brady and Det Gda Flaherty travelled to Ballymun Garda station and viewed the images in a room reserved for the examination of phones.

When he viewed the photo of the suspects, Det Gda O’flaherty said “I immediately recognised” the man dressed as a woman as Patrick Hutch.

He said he let it be known and at that point he knew the identity of the gunman and withdrew from the room with Det Sgt O’toole.

Detective Brady told the court he heard Det Gda Flaherty say: “I know that person, I’m saying nothing.”

During cross examination Defence Counsel Michael O’higgins alleged there was a “synchronisation” between the officers’ statements.

He also criticised the process of identification.

Hutch, of Champions Avenue, inner city Dublin, also denies possession of weapons on the same

day.

I was 100% certain [it was Hutch]. I had no doubt about it

DET GDA JONATHAN BRADY

The trial before Judges Tony Hunt, Patricia Ryan and Ann Ryan continues at the Special Criminal Court today.