Anonymous garda evidence will see 'cloak of secrecy' descend on Hutch case, lawyers say

The prosecution asked that the public should be excluded from the court when members of the National Surveillance Unit give evidence

Armed gardaí on duty outside the Special Criminal Court in Dublin for the trial of Gerry "The Monk" Hutch. Mr Hutch's defence lawyer said: "An argument could be made by any of the gardaí in the country that they are entitled to anonymity but that isn't the rule that applies." File picture: Niall Carson/PA

Lawyers for Gerard ‘The Monk’ Hutch, who is accused of the murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne at the Regency Hotel, have argued that "a cloak of secrecy" will descend over their client's case if gardaí from the National Surveillance Unit are allowed to give evidence anonymously.

Following lengthy legal applications on Wednesday by the prosecution and by defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC for Mr Hutch, the Special Criminal Court will rule on Thursday on whether 27 officers from the National Surveillance Unit (NSU) can give evidence anonymously and their names, which are handed in writing into the court, can be withheld from the defence and from the public.