A person has pleaded not responsible to a homicide at a boxing weigh-in at a Dublin lodge in 2016.
Gerry Hutch, 59, is charged with the homicide of David Byrne, 34, on the Regency Hotel on 5 February 2016.
The killing made worldwide headlines after 5 gunmen, three disguised as armed police, stormed a boxing weigh-in on the lodge armed with assault rifles.
The court docket heard that Mr Byrne’s homicide was carried out by a well-resourced organisation as a part of the feud between the Hutch and Kinahan organised crime teams, which thus far has seen 18 folks murdered.
Dressed in a navy blazer and light-weight blue shirt, and listening with the help of a headset, Hutch sat with two different defendants because the non-jury Special Criminal Court heard the lodge assault was “performative” and “targeted”.
The prosecution painted a scene of panic and confusion as two separate groups of armed raiders opened hearth.
The court docket heard how a silver Ford Transit van arrived on the Regency Hotel and discharged two males, one carrying a flat cap and one other man in a wig, disguised as a girl.
The duo walked “sometimes arm-in-arm” by way of the lodge in direction of the “Clash of the Clans” boxing weigh-in, earlier than opening hearth with handguns.
The two attackers pursued individuals who tried to flee them.
Meanwhile, three extra attackers, wearing armed police tactical gear, and carrying AK-47-style assault rifles, entered the lodge by way of the primary entrance and opened hearth.
There was “further panic” as attendees tried to flee in reverse instructions from the 2 teams of gunmen.
Prosecuting counsel Sean Gillane outlined how Mr Byrne was shot within the reception space by one of many pretend policemen – described as “Tactical One”, earlier than additionally being shot by “Tactical Two”.
Tactical Two then jumped on to the reception desk and pointed his rifle at one other man hiding on the opposite facet, however didn’t open hearth.
Tactical Two then jumped down and “calmly and coldly, discharged further rounds into the head and body” of Mr Byrne.
A autopsy revealed the reason for loss of life was six high-velocity gunshot wounds to the top, face, stomach and thighs.
An eyewitness, boxing official Mel Christle, described seeing Mr Byrne’s physique slumped “almost resting” towards the bottom of the reception desk.
“It was a body, it was a corpse”, he stated. “Its face had been blown off.”
The court docket heard the assault was extremely focused. The gunman within the wig was heard to shout “I don’t know where he is”, and, “I couldn’t f****** find him”.
In the times following the widely-publicised taking pictures, the prosecution states that Hutch met along with his affiliate Jonathan Dowdall – a former Sinn Fein councillor – after a photograph of two of the gunmen appeared within the Sunday World newspaper.
Hutch was described as being “particularly worked-up and edgy” as he mentioned the picture.
The court docket heard Hutch advised Dowdall that he had been “one of the team” that had shot David Byrne.
Hutch requested Dowdall to rearrange a gathering with republicans in Northern Ireland because the feud with the Kinahans escalated, the court docket heard.
The automotive they travelled in was underneath Garda [Irish police] surveillance and their conversations had been recorded.
The two males mentioned a possible peace cope with the Kinahans, the prosecution acknowledged, however Hutch stated that “it’s very hard to get involved where the Kinahans are concerned, the messenger gets it”.
Hutch has been in custody for greater than a yr, after his arrest within the Costa del Sol in August 2021 and extradition to Ireland.
His trial for homicide was delayed after the court docket heard that co-accused Jonathan Dowdall had determined to testify, and was now being assessed for Ireland’s witness safety programme.
On Monday, Dowdall acquired a four-year jail sentence for a lesser cost of facilitating the homicide. His father Patrick was jailed for 2 years.
Two different males, 59-year-old Paul Murphy and 50-year-old Jason Bonney, are additionally charged with serving to with the fee of the homicide by offering autos.
The trial of the three males is predicted to final no less than 12 weeks.
Source: information.sky.com”