It's 'all systems go' for Gerry Hutch's trial to get going next week, according to his defence barrister.
It was due to begin last week but was adjourned after a co-accused pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and indicated his willingness to testify in the upcoming trial.
59-year-old Gerry Hutch a.ka. 'The Monk' was due to stand trial last week for the murder of David Byrne, who was shot dead at the Regency Hotel in Dublin in 2016.
44-year-old Jonathan Dowdall, a former Sinn Féin councillor, was due to stand trial too but the murder charge against him was dropped after his plea to a lesser charge of facilitating the murder was accepted. He’ll be sentenced for that next week.
Last week, his barrister told the court his client had implicated others and is willing to give evidence at trial. He and his family are now in protective custody.
At a brief hearing today, Mr Hutch’s barrister, Brendan Grehan SC, said it was 'all systems go' for them in terms of the trial going ahead next week.
He said new evidence will be backloaded and when asked for an estimated duration for the trial, he couldn’t guarantee it would finish by Christmas especially because of what he expects will be a 'substantial cross-examination'.
All going according to plan, the trial will open at 11am tomorrow week.
