A dishevelled Gerry Hutch was last night charged with the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel over five years ago.
The 58-year-old was before presiding judge Mr Tony Hunt at the Special Criminal Court following his extradition from Spain yesterday.
In court 11 at the Criminal Courts of Justice, Hutch entered at 8.14pm as the hearing got under way. The grey-haired accused wore a black mask over his beard and sported a light cream linen blazer, a white shirt, brown trousers and black shoes.
Det Supt Paul Scott of Ballymun Garda Station told the court he arrested Hutch on the tarmac of Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel at 7.12pm after the accused had been flown from Madrid on the Irish Air Corps Casa plane.
The arrest was on foot of a European Arrest Warrant which had been issued by the Special Criminal Court in March.
Hutch was then transferred to the Criminal Courts of Justice under heavy security.
In the precincts of the court, Det Supt Scott charged Hutch with the murder of Byrne, 34, at the Regency Hotel in North Dublin on February 5, 2016, contrary to common law.
He then identified Hutch to the three-judge court, turning and pointing at him before he said: “That’s the accused person.”
The accused sat silently throughout until he was asked by the court registrar if he was Gerard Hutch, to which he replied: “Yes.”
She then read the charge to him before Mr Justice Hunt said he could sit down again.
The book of evidence and a USB with exhibits was then served on Hutch, with a detective handing it to him. Defence counsel Brendan Grehan said he was reserving his position on the charge, the unlawfulness of the arrest in respect of the jurisdiction of the court.
He also told how they were considering bail but Mr Justice Hunt told him he has to go “elsewhere” with that.
Mr Grehan also said Hutch was fully vaccinated for Covid-19 and had received a negative Covid test yesterday. A trial date was set for October 3 of next year.
The court was also told the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed the trial to take place before the Special Criminal Court.
Hutch was remanded in custody to appear again on Friday, October 15.
He spoke briefly with his legal team before he was led away after the hearing.
