THE REGENCY HOTEL shooting trial has been further adjourned this morning after the Special Criminal Court heard that material in the case has presented some “unprecedented conundrums”.
The trial had been due to resume this morning but was instead adjourned until Thursday.
The case had previously been adjourned, almost two weeks ago, after the defence requested to be provided with copies of emails exchanged between four gardaí involved in the case.
Patrick Hutch (25) of Champions Avenue, Dublin 1, is pleading not guilty to the murder of David Byrne (34) at the Regency Hotel in Dublin on 5 February 2016.
He also denies possessing three AK47 assault rifles in connection with the shooting.
Michael O’Higgins SC, for the accused, told the court today that the Director of Public Prosecutions had disclosed material that the defence will have to consider further and he was applying that the case will put back.
He said that the defence will then be applying that the trial be “adjourned outright”.
Sean Gillane SC, prosecuting, told the court that the material has “presented some unprecedented conundrums”.
O’Higgins said that the defence will make submissions to the court that certain matters need to be investigated and that will take time.
He added that a postponement and resumption of the trial would not be practical.
“This is a complicated matter,” the barrister said.
Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding, sitting with Judge Patricia Ryan and Judge Ann Ryan, said that matters are proceeding in the background even though the trial is not and that the court was not going to enquire into matters proceeding outside the courtroom.
The trial was adjourned until Thursday.
The court has previously heard that the shooting took place during a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel, when a man dressed as a woman and another wearing a flat cap, armed with handguns, followed by three people dressed in tactical-style garda uniforms and carrying assault rifles, raided the venue.
It is the prosecution’s case that Hutch was the man dressed as a woman and that he did not shoot Byrne but was part of a “shared intention” to commit the offence.
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