Hutch trial hears of mayhem and panic, but little input from the Monk himself

A prison van with a Garda escort leaves the Special Criminal Court on Tuesday after the first day of the trial of Gerry Hutch for the murder of David Byrne in the Regency Hotel in 2016. Picture: Collins Courts

It was a loud and clear “not guilty” when Gerard Hutch was asked how he pleaded to the charge of murdering David Byrne, before taking his seat again and adopting a fairly neutral gaze.

Wearing a navy suit jacket, with an unbuttoned collar and no tie, it was the one and only time we’d hear from Mr Hutch on a day when his landmark, long-awaited trial began before the non-jury Special Criminal Court in the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin.