Hutch murder accused ‘made threat to kill him’
A MAN accused of murdering Gareth Hutch was overheard making a threat that he was going to kill him, a trial has heard.
Jonathan Keogh (31) was allegedly involved in a “heated exchange” with Hutch the day before the killing, but it appeared to end with both parties shaking hands.
Later that day, Mr Keogh was allegedly overheard expressing his intention to kill Hutch, the nephew of Gerry Hutch.
Mr Keogh, his sister Regina Keogh (41) and Thomas Fox (31) have all pleaded not guilty before the Special Criminal Court to the murder of Hutch.
Mr Fox, of Rutland Court, Dublin 1, also pleaded not guilty to possessing a Makarov handgun in suspicious circumstances.
Gareth Hutch was shot dead as he was getting into his car outside Avondale House flats on North Cumberland Street, Dublin, on May 24, 2016.
In his opening address to the court, prosecuting counsel Paul Burns said the “brutal and callous murder” was not a “spur of the moment attack” but was “pre-meditated” and a “significant amount of planning” went into it.
Mr Burns said the three co-accused each had “their own part to play in bringing about the killing of Mr Hutch”.
The court heard that Mr Keogh, of Gloucester Place, Dublin 1, was one of the two gunmen, together with another man known as Mr AB.
Mr Burns said Regina Keogh lived in the same flats complex as Hutch and Mr Fox and Mr Keogh knew each other well.
He said the evidence of Mary McDonnell, who had a flat at Avondale House, would be important as the accused had gathered in her home in the hours before the murder. Her kitchen window had a view into Hutch’s flat.
Around 10.40pm on the night before the killing, Mr Burns said Mr Fox and Mr Keogh arrived at Ms McDonnell’s flat and produced two handguns and silencers. She was asked for wipes to clean the guns and for plastic bags to put them in.
Mr Burns said the men left Ms McDonnell’s flat and the evidence would be that Ms Keogh arrived a short time later with rubber gloves.
On the day of the killing, Mr Burns said Mr Keogh and Mr AB arrived at Ms McDonnell’s flat and got the rubber gloves.
The court was told that shortly after 10am on May 24, Mr Keogh and Mr AB left Ms McDonnell’s flat and ran up to Hutch as he was getting into his car. He was shot four times – twice in the neck, once in his back and once in his chest.
The trial before the threejudge court is expected to last five weeks.