'WE'RE ON'

Special Criminal Court told 'what murder accused said' before going after Gareth Hutch with a handgun

- EOIN REYNOLDS

A MAN accused of murdering a nephew of Gerry “The Monk” Hutch spotted the victim leaving his flat, said “we’re on” and pursued him with a handgun, a court has heard. 

Thomas McConnell is alleged to have been one of two gunmen who fatally shot Gareth Hutch seven years ago, as part of the Hutch-Kinahan feud.

He went on trial at the Special Criminal Court yesterday.

Fiona Murphy SC, for the DPP, told the three-judge, non-jury court that the evidence will show that McConnell and Jonathan Keogh were the two gunmen who approached and shot Gareth Hutch just metres from his north Dublin home shortly before 10am on May 24, 2016.

Ms Murphy told the court that Jonathan Keogh, his sister Regina Keogh and a third man named Thomas Fox have already been convicted of the murder.

Counsel said that McConnell was “intrinsically involved” in the careful planning and execution of the “ambush” on Mr Hutch. She described the murder as “brutal and callous” but said it was “premeditated with considerable planning” and there were a number of participants each with their own roles.