A SENIOR Garda watchdog investigator who attended a party for gangster Gerry Hutch was arrested by Gardai over concerns he could leave Ireland.
Gardai are also investigating if he communicated with associates of ‘The Monk’ in a series of text messages.
Clik here to view.
Clik here to view.
The investigator was arrested by officers from the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation this morning, having met with them earlier this week.
According to sources close to the man in question, he has rubbished any suggestion he ever intended to leave the jurisdiction and they say he is instead focussed on proving he has done nothing wrong.
During his first meeting with Gardai, he admitted that he had attended the party on April 17 for Hutch after he was cleared of the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel on February 5, 2016.
But following their meeting with the GSOC investigator, Gardai made the move to arrest him on suspicion of disclosing confidential information.
One source said: “There are legitimate concerns he could have left Ireland and therefore wouldn’t have been able to answer any questions. We are also investigating any messages sent between him and a woman who’s close to Gerry Hutch.
“If it’s proven that he disclosed information to a criminal organisation this will have very serious consequences for him.
“There’s a possibility he was deliberately targeted by the Hutch gang for information.”
The property where he lives was also searched and electronic devices, including his phone, seized. His phone is still being examined to establish any connection with Hutch associates.
Gardai are also looking at whether information obtained from the investigation into the tragic death of Det Supt Colm Fox — who was in charge of the Regency investigation before his passing in 2018 — could have been supplied to the Hutch crime group.
Detectives are also trying to establish what access he had to the Garda Pulse system and, if he did, what dates he used it on.
Concerns were also raised by Gardai this week because the GSOC official would have had access to confidential information about the Regency investigation stored at Ballymun Garda station.
One theory being explored is that the investigator was introduced to a woman connected to ‘The Monk’ by someone who knew with her. It’s believed the pair then struck up a friendship.
DENIES WRONGDOING
One north Dublin resident told us: “He has constantly denied any wrongdoing and said he would stay around to clear everything up.
“It’s unfortunate that his decision to attend the party has brought attention on everyone. The people who know him here are shocked he has been caught up in this.”
It’s understood he went to the party to collect another woman he knew. But as he was known to the Hutch family, he was invited to stay.
Gardai confirmed an arrest had been made.
A spokesperson said: “Gardai attached to the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation investigating certain matters referred to An Garda Siochana by the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission have carried out a search at a domestic residence in Dublin 3.
“A male, in his 60s, is being detained at a Garda station in the East of the country under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.”
And Justice Minister Simon Harris has also been made aware of the arrest.
The Fine Gael TD said: “I have said since first becoming aware of this, that it was important that if there’s any potential criminal wrongdoing, that the only place for that to go in terms of an investigation was An Garda Siochana.
“I think what we’re now seeing is the gardai taking this seriously and applying the appropriate level of priority to this matter.”
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