Crime World

Twenty-seven members of the Garda’s National Surveillance Unit had an operation in place on the day the State say Shane Rowan drove to Dublin to collect the AK47s used in the Regency Hotel attack.Now, the Special Criminal Court will rule on whether or not those officers who are called to give evidence in the trial of Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch and his co-accused, Jason Bonney and Paul Murphy, can remain anonymous.Defence lawyers are objecting to the gardai being anonymised and the three judges of the non-jury court will rule on the application today.Hutch himself has not been identified in the CCTV, which shows four cars moving around an industrial estate near the northside shopping centre, but his brother Patsy Hutch snr is alleged to have been the driver of a Toyota Yaris car who shared coffee and a bun with Rowan in the early evening before he was caught.Rowan's car was stopped on March 9, 2016 outside Slane, Co Meath, with the guns in the boot and he would later plead guilty to weapons charges and to membership of the IRA.Today I’m reporting from the Regency Trial where a calm and collected Monk, charged with murder, has yet to take centre stage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A trial at the Central Criminal Court has been hearing evidence of events surrounding the death of a Detective Garda who was shot dead with his own weapon after responding to a call.Motorbike mechanic Stephen Silver has denied murdering Detective Colm Horkan, but pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.Nicola Tallant chats with courts reporter Eoin Reynolds about the trial and the evidence that has been heard before a jury that detail the events of that tragic night in Castlerea, Co Mayo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Suggestions of collusion between security forces and loyalist paramilitaries has long been denied when it comes to Northern Ireland’s Troubles, but it seems that the passage of time has a way of unearthing deeply-hidden secrets.Nicola Tallant talks with Sunday World journalist Hugh Jordan about some of the historical murder cases which show concerning links to security forces.He recalls the Ulster major and his female sidekick who passed information to Protestant paramilitary killers who went on to target an innocent catholic man, about the elite commando who fed information to Johnny 'Mad Dog' Johnny Adair and about the violent 'C' Company and their belief they could ethnically cleanse Northern Ireland. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A few seconds of CCTV footage showing six men running towards what the State says was a getaway car sparked gasps from the gallery at the Special Criminal Court, where Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch stands trial for murder.The footage, captured at St Vincent's GAA club, was taken within 20 minutes of the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel and shows what the prosecution will claim are the hit team as they make their escape from a burning van.Nicola Tallant talks with Niall Donald about the latest developments in the sensational trial. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

THE trial of Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch for the murder of David Byrne has seen footage of Regency Hotel gunman Kevin 'Flat Cap' Murray enjoying a relaxed pint of Guinness the night before his image would cement his reputation in gangland history.Murray, who was critically ill at the time, has since died and was never brought to justice for his role in Byrne's murder.The Special Criminal Court saw Murray peruse a dinner menu and sitting at a hotel bar for a relaxed pint hours before the very foundations of the Irish underworld were shaken to its core.Here, Nicola Tallant chats with Niall Donald about a day in the trial of Hutch that revealed a lot about the plot to kill and what the State says are the movements of the hit team. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Underworld banker Patrick Lawlor is beginning a jail term after a court heard he was caught with drug money belonging to a 'trans-global organisation'.The 56-year-old former builder claims he had fallen on hard times before he agreed to mind and move money linked to George 'The Penguin' Mitchell and his reclusive side kick Robbie Murphy.But his capture is a window into the secretive dealings of the Mitchell organisation, who have for decades remained one step ahead of the law.Today, Nicola Tallant talks with Niall Donald about The Penguin, the money man and Ireland's real Godfather of Crime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

GERRY 'The Monk' Hutch defiantly pleaded not guilty today as he stood accused of the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in February 2016 - the killing that sparked Ireland's bloodiest gangland feud.The trial kicked-off shortly after 11am as the State put its case to the Special Criminal Court.According to the prosecution, Hutch told State Witness Jonathan Dowdall that he had been 'one of the team that shot David Byrne' when the pair met in a Dublin park in the days after the attack.The court also heard how 'The Monk' was 'particularly worked up and edgy' about a picture that had been published in the Sunday World.Hutch stands accused along with Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, who both deny facilitating the murder by providing vehicles to the gang.Today, Nicola Tallant talks with Niall Donald about the opening day of the much-anticipated trial. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jonathan Dowdall and his father Patrick were given two weeks to prepare for custodial sentences yesterday after a court heard they were to be handed over to Portlaoise Prison authorities by An Garda Siochana.Patrick will serve less than one year in prison after he was handed down a two-year term for his role in the Regency Hotel murder of David Byrne, while son Jonathan was given a four-year sentence.So how did Justice Tony Hunt decide on the length of sentences and what were the factors that influenced the decision of the Special Criminal Court? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The life of an undercover operative embedded deep in the world of drugs gangs and money launderers is far from ordinary. And it's rare we get an insight into the skills and personality traits required in such a high-risk situation.But, in his new book 'The Betrayer', elite undercover customs officer Guy Stanton tells author Peter Walsh just what it took to live under a mask while mixing with cartel bosses, drug lords and enforcers - and trapping them through their trust.Nicola Tallant chats with Walsh about the psychological tools needed to live as a 'deep fake', about the lengths the operatives go to to create a 'legend' and about some of the greatest achievements of ordinary people who take extraordinary risks to fight crime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

THE secretive Witness Protection Programme has been thrust into the spotlight with the decision of Jonathan Dowdall to turn State witness against his former neighbour and friend Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch.But what is the Programme and when did it start? Is it a golden ticket out of trouble or a poison chalice for those who sign up?Nicola Tallant chats with Maynooth University lecturer Aaron Harte Hughes, who is undertaking a PhD in the Irish Witness Security Programme. He tells of the lack of legislation around the programme, about the European recommendations being ignored by Ireland and about the difficulties its set-up poses to judges, witnesses and the accused. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.