A LONG-time friend of the Hutch family has been found guilty at the Special Criminal Court of acting as getaway driver during the notorious Regency Hotel attack in 2016, during which Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne was shot dead.
The non-jury court agreed with the State’s case that Paul Murphy’s Toyota Avensis taxi was part of a convoy of six cars that parked at St Vincent’s GAA club grounds in Marino before the Regency shooting on the afternoon of February 5, 2016.
The prosecution had argued that Murphy had then helped one of the raiders escape.
Murphy’s guilty verdict was delivered by Ms Justice Tara Burns at the three-judge, non-jury Special Criminal Court this afternoon.
Ms Justice Burns is continuing to deliver her verdicts in relation to Gerard Hutch, who is accused of murdering David Byrne at the Regency, and Jason Bonney, who is charged with acting as a getaway driver for another of the Regency assassins.
Ms Justice Burns said the court is satisfied of the existence of the Hutch Criminal Organisation and that Murphy knew of its existence when he made his Toyota Avensis taxi available to the crime group.
She also said that the court is satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that the Regency attack was orchestrated by the Hutch organisation.
Paul Murphy, 61, of Cherry Avenue, Swords, Co Dublin has been found guilty of participating in or contributing to the murder of Mr Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016.
Jason Bonney, 52, of Drumnigh Wood, Portmarnock, Dublin 13 is charged with participating in or contributing to the murder of Mr Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on the same date.
Gerard Hutch, who turned 60 last week, last of The Paddocks, Clontarf, Dublin 3, has denied the murder of David Byrne, 33, during a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel on the Swords Road, Whitehall, Dublin 9 on February 5, 2016.
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