Accused ‘seen in blonde wig’ during Regency Hotel shooting
■ Court hears of panic as ‘tactical team’ of raiders gunned down father-of-two
A FATHER-OF-TWO was shot six times by a “tactical team” of armed raiders dressed as gardaí in a “carefully-planned, targeted, murderous attack” at Dublin’s Regency Hotel, a court has heard.
Two of the raiders shot David Byrne (34) as he tried to escape amid scenes of panic at a weighin for a boxing event attended by families with children. The gangland shooting was described at the Special Criminal Court, where Patrick Hutch Jnr (25) has gone on trial charged with Byrne’s murder.
Mr Hutch was allegedly seen in the hotel, dressed as a woman, carrying what appeared to be a handgun and shouting “he’s not f **king here”. He is denying murder and possession of three assault rifles at the hotel in Whitehall on February 5, 2016.
Prosecutors do not allege Mr Hutch, from Champion’s Avenue, in the north inner city, shot Mr Byrne, from Crumlin, but that he participated in the raid and shared intent to commit the crimes. Sean Gillane SC, prosecuting, said a silver van parked up at the gate to the adjacent Gracepark Manor housing estate. A man in a flat cap and a man wearing a wig emerged and entered the hotel through the laundry entrance.
Staff would say the two individuals asked them for directions, one appeared to have long blonde hair and was wearing heels and a long black coat.
A staff member realised that the person with the blonde hair was “in fact a man, with a Dublin accent”.
A number of eyewitnesses described “gunfire, gunshots and cracking sounds”.
“People were unsure from where the sounds were emanating but it was clear that an immediate panic ensued,” Mr Gillane said.
The men in the wig and the flat cap were seen carrying what appeared to be handguns, chasing people who were moving in the direction of the emergency exit. Meanwhile, three individuals dressed in “tactical-style clothing” and carrying assault rifles had emerged from the van and had gone in the front entrance. There were allegedly six people in the van, including a driver.
After the three people emerged, a number of shots were immediately discharged from their weapons, which caused a panic.
It would be alleged the raider ‘Tac 1’ entered the reception area and dropped a handgun that was picked up by ‘Tac 2’. Tac 2 and 3 discharged their weapons and in the course of this two men were shot, receiving non-fatal injuries. David Byrne was among people running towards reception and was shot by Tac 1, then “shot again immediately thereafter by Tac 2”.
Mr Byrne fell to the ground and made his way to the reception desk. Tac 2 jumped the counter to where Mr Byrne was lying. “He calmly and coldly discharged the weapon again, discharging further rounds into the head and body of Mr Byrne,” Mr Gillane said.
It seemed clear from eyewitnesses that the raiders were looking for a specific person, and the man wearing the wig was heard shouting: “He’s not f **king here” and words to the effect of “I couldn’t f**king find him”.
It’s believed the person being referenced was gang boss Daniel Kinahan, who was not named in court. There would be evidence from an eyewitness connected with Independent Newspapers and still images captured by a ‘Sunday World’ photographer. Detectives would say they “immediately recognised” the man in the wig as Patrick Hutch. The trial continues.