Updated 2pm
A 29-YEAR-OLD man replied “not guilty” when he was charged today with the murder of Gareth Hutch who was shot dead as he was getting into his car outside his home in Dublin.
Father-of-one Gareth Hutch (35), a nephew of Gerry “the Monk” Hutch, was gunned down outside Avondale House flats, on North Cumberland Street in inner city Dublin, on the morning of 24 May.
Thomas Fox, who has an address at Rutland Court in north inner city Dublin, was charged last year with unlawful possession of a Makarov 9mm handgun at Avondale House on 23 May, a day before the shooting.
That charge was contrary to section 27A of the Firearms Act which can carry a sentence of up to 14 years.
He had been initially refused bail by Dublin District Court on June 1 and was remanded in custody. He faced his thirteenth hearing today when he appeared before Judge Victor Blake at Cloverhill District Court.
Dressed in a green jumper and grey tracksuit bottoms he was escorted into the courtroom by prison officers in stab vests.
“Not guilty” reply when charge put to him
Detective Garda Sergeant Robert O’Reilly told the court that Fox was charged at 10.34am today with the murder of Gareth Hutch. He said the accused replied “not guilty” when the new charge was put to him.
There was an application for him to be remanded in custody for one week and the court also heard that the DPP has directed trial on indictment.
There was an application on behalf of Fox, represented by Eoin Lysaght solicitor, for the firearms charge to be dismissed. The State objected and the judge refused to dismiss it but said he would strike it out.
State solicitor Karen Wilson said that the book of evidence is near completion and would be ready in two weeks.
Judge Blake remanded Fox in custody to appear via video-link on 25 January next. At a previous hearing, the Judge heard that the case is extremely complex and that about 300 statements have been taken.
The accused had been in custody since 1 June on the firearms charge. Bail cannot be granted in the district court in a murder case and he will have to make an application to the High Court to get released pending his trial.
The district court has also heard earlier that the investigation involved the examination of 5,000 hours of CCTV.
Fox is one of two people before the courts in connection with the shooting of Hutch.
Mary McDonnell (43) with an address at Avondale House, North Cumberland Street is accused of withholding information from gardaí investigating Gareth Hutch’s murder.
She is accused of failing without reasonable excuse to disclose information to the gardaí, as soon as was practicable, information she knew or believed might be of material assistance in securing the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of any other person for a serious offence.
The charge is under Section 9 of the Offences Against the State Act and the offence is alleged to have happened at an address at Avondale House on 24 May last.
She is on bail and her case was listed before Judge Anthony Halpin at Dublin District Court on Wednesday. However, she had been excused from having to attend the hearing.
Detective Garda Kevin Keys confirmed for the judge that the prosecution was seeking an adjournment for directions from the DPP to be obtained. The case was put back for four weeks and the judge heard that she would be notified by her solicitor.
Comments are closed as the case is before the courts.
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