GERRY Hutch will spend Christmas with his family in Ireland and then return to his home in Spain in the new year to clear his name.
Crime boss The Monk has told friends he will be flying back to Lanzarote, where he is under investigation for money laundering, after Chrimbo.
Legendary film director Jim Sheridan, who has been working on a documentary with the gangster during the election campaign, said: “Gerry said he will be here for Christmas and then he is heading back to sunnier climes.
“He went very close to winning a seat in the Dail and just got beaten on the line. We filmed a lot of his campaign and will bring a programme out on it at some stage. I know he lost but I think people are still interested.”
Hutch, 62, is said to have enjoyed dipping his feet into politics having only decided to enter the race in the four-seater Dublin Central constituency at the last minute.
He was beaten by Labour’s Marie Sherlock after she received a few thousand transfers from both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail in the last two counts to keep him out.
Hutch — who mainly ran a social media campaign instead of going door-to-door looking for punters’ votes — had been leading by 2,000 votes after a strong first preference haul.
And friends say The Monk has not ruled out running for Leinster House in the future, but his return to Lanzarote might put some of his community activism on hold for a while.
He has been mostly living in the tourist town of Puerto del Carmen since he was found not guilty of the 2016 Regency Hotel murder of Kinahan thug David Byrne by the Special Criminal Court in April last year.
The head of the Hutch Organised Crime Group is currently out on €100,000 bail after being arrested for suspected money laundering offences on the Spanish holiday island, along with several other individuals, a few weeks ago.
The judge dealing with the case agreed to let him go home to Ireland after Hutch informed him that he was standing as a candidate in the General Election.
Hutch insists he is totally innocent and will clear his name.
‘FACE THE MUSIC’
And friends say he always had every intention of going back to Spain to fight for his freedom once his election bid was over.
One said: “There was never a question of Gerry doing a runner and not returning to Lanzarote to face the music.”
Cops are probing how and where Hutch got the money to own a property empire on the island.
He is believed to own up to 11 apartments and villas which Hutch maintains were paid for with money from legitimate sources.
‘MISTAKEN IDENTITY’
Most of the properties were purchased over the last several years.
Sheridan said he decided to make a programme on Hutch as he was one of the most interesting people standing in the election, finding him very straightforward and open.
The My Left Foot director added: “He is adamant he had nothing to do with the Regency shooting and that he was not there that day. He believes it was a case of mistaken identity.
“We will decide in due course when and who we will put the documentary out with.”
