Estonian man accused of conspiring to murder Dublin man James Gately

An Estonian man charged with conspiracy to murder a friend of the Hutch family has been further remanded in custody after a judge granted the State four weeks to complete a book of evidence, writes Tom Tuite.

Gardaí from the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau supported by members of the Special Crime Task Force, Emergency Response Unit and Armed Support Unit raided a premises in west Dublin on the morning of April 4.

Three men were arrested as part of an investigation into the Hutch-Kinahan feud.

Imre Arakas, 58, with an address at Sopruse, Tallinn, Estonia, was charged on April 6 last and then remanded in custody.

He is accused of conspiring with others not before the courts to murder James Gately in Northern Ireland between April 3 and April 4. The offence is under Section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006.

He faced his tenth hearing on Wednesday when he appeared via video-link at Cloverhill District Court. There was an application by the State for a four week adjournment for the book of evidence to be completed.

Mr Arakas told Judge Kathryn Hutton that he had difficulty understanding and wanted to be in court in person for the next hearing.

He was further remanded in custody to appear again on August 30. The Director of Public Prosecutions has directed that he is to face trial on indictment meaning his case will be transferred to a higher court once the book of evidence has been served on him.

At his first hearing, on April 6, a court was told “he made no reply to the charge” and due to the nature of the charge a bail application could only be made in the High Court.

He has not yet indicated how he will plead to the charge.

Legal aid was granted following submissions that he was unemployed and unable to pay for a lawyer.

The other two other men arrested in connection with this investigation have been released from Garda custody without charge.