A garda has claimed privilege when asked if a vehicle that allegedly carried Gerry Hutch and Jonathan Dowdall was being tracked.
The development came during Hutch’s trial where the 59-year-old denies he murdered Kinahan gang associate David Byrne at Dublin’s Regency Hotel in February 2016. He listened intently as his defence team cross-examined members of the Garda National Surveillance Unit.
One officer, referred to as Member CZ, declined to say if a vehicle allegedly carrying Hutch was being tracked at the time it was observed. The officer stated they observed Dowdall, who, along with his father has already been convicted of facilitating the murder, as being the driver of the 161D Toyota Land Cruiser while Hutch was a front-seat passenger.
Read more: Jonathan Dowdall presented to Portlaoise Prison but exact location is now secret
The court heard it was coming from the North and into the Ardee area of Co Louth at 11.36pm on March 7, 2016. Under cross-examination from defence counsel Brendan Grehan, the officer said they were “not aware” what time the vehicle crossed the border.
He followed that up by asking “was there a tracker on that Toyota Land Cruiser?” The officer stated he was going to cite privilege to that question. Also taking the stand, “Member S” told the court they observed a black Honda motorcycle drive out of Dowdall’s address on the Navan Road in Dublin on February 12, 2016.
The officer said when the bike drove past them, they “recognised the driver as being Gerard Hutch”. Asked by the prosecution if the person they saw on the bike is the same man sitting in the dock, Garda S said “Yes”.
Also giving evidence was “Member T” who observed a 161D grey Toyota Land Cruiser driving down the M1 at 2.45pm on March 7, 2016. He said the driver was Dowdall and the passenger was Hutch.
Member T was also on duty during the operation in the Malahide area on March 9, where they said they observed an Insignia car parked outside a shop at 4.50pm. At 5.10pm they saw a grey Cordova on Newtown Avenue and turned towards Greencastle Parade.
They said they watched the driver park, get out and get into the driver’s seat of the Insignia. At 6.25pm they say they saw Shane Rowan, who was later caught with the weapons used in the attack, walking up Greencastle Parade – and a silver Toyota Yaris driving with him at the same pace.
The witness said the driver was the accused’s brother Patsy Hutch. The officer added Rowan got into the driver’s seat of the Insignia.
Another member to testify was “BZ” who told the court they were on duty in the Killygordon, Co Donegal, on February 20, 2016. The officer said they saw the Land Cruiser parked beside a silver Megane.
The court last week heard evidence about this date and location – with a different officer alleging they saw Hutch meeting with IRA gunman Rowan there. BZ told how they observed a silver Volkswagen Passat leave the estate at 12.30pm.
At 7.22pm they said they saw the Land Cruiser heading south on the M1 – and the driver appeared to be alone. At about 2.35pm, they also observed the silver Renault Megane with two males inside.
They were also asked how did they know where to go on that day, to which the officer said they were tasked to go to Donegal, specifically the Lifford area. Also giving evidence was ‘Member V’ who said they observed Hutch leave the back of Kealys pub “in his BMW” on March 8, 2016.
It was followed by a Land Cruiser driven by former Sinn Fein councillor Dowdall. The witness said they observed both men travelling towards the airport onto the M1.
Member “DN” told they observed Rowan on March 9, 2016, walking to a post office in Ballybofey, Co Donegal. They further observed him at 11.39am at a Great Gas filling station putting fuel into a grey Vauxhall.
The court has already heard how Rowan allegedly drove that car from Donegal to Malahide Industrial Estate in Dublin that evening where he met Patsy Hutch. Shortly after this Rowan was caught in Slane, Co Meath, with the rifles.
Asked by the defence if they had taken any notes on the day, the member said they didn’t.
The trial at the non-jury Special Criminal Court continues.
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