Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch loses extradition appeal

The Regency Hotel shooting ignited the most intense feud ever seen in Ireland’s gangland, claiming up to 18 lives, the vast majority by the Kinahan cartel

Gerry Hutch has lost an appeal to his extradition back to Ireland to face charges in relation to the Regency Hotel murder.

Gerry Hutch has lost an appeal to his extradition back to Ireland to face charges in relation to the Regency Hotel murder.

Sources do not think there are any other possible avenues at appeal, which would signal the impending return of ‘The Monk’ to stand trial in Dublin.

But it may still take some time for the actual flight home to happen and it will be up to the Guardia Civil to execute the extradition, based on the European Arrest Warrant (EAW) issued by investigating gardaí last April.

Guardia Civil is expected to contact gardaí regarding the logistics of the transfer to Dublin Airport. While the garda liaison officer in Madrid may have a role in assisting, it is unlikely this officer will have a function in the operation itself.

The warrant was issued by the murder investigation team in Ballymun and they are likely to be the lead gardaí involved in receiving Hutch.

“This will be up to the Guardia Civil to execute,” said one informed source. “They have to extradite him. Obviously, gardaí will be talking to them, but they have to execute the warrant.

“He will be arrested when he lands, when he is on Irish soil, and normally that would be done by the investigating team. He would be brought to a garda station and then to court.” 

But the source added: "I don't think it's going to happen that quickly, it generally takes a bit of time."

The Monk, aged 59 and originally from Dublin’s northeast inner city, was arrested by the Guardia Civil last month following a lengthy surveillance operation, conducted with the assistance of gardaí.

Gerry Hutch lost an initial decision on the EAW in the courts in Spain, which he then appealed to a higher court. This higher court rejected his appeal, clearing the way for extradition.

But the court did rule that if Hutch is found guilty and sentenced, that he would serve the sentence in Spain, given he is resident there.

David Byrne, a senior lieutenant in the Kinahan cartel from Crumlin, was shot dead at the Regency Hotel on February 5, 2016.

The murder ignited the most intense feud ever seen in Ireland’s gangland, which claimed up to 18 lives in total, the vast majority by the Kinahan cartel in revenge.