State to oppose Gerry Hutch's application to have his legal costs paid for

In the landmark trial, both Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney were found guilty of acting as getaway drivers on the day of the attack in February 2016. Counsel for the pair said on Monday that neither had been “on the garda radar”, prior to their involvement in these matters.

The court accepted the State’s case that Murphy’s Toyota Avensis taxi and Bonney’s black BMW X5 jeep formed part of a convoy of six vehicles that parked at St Vincent’s GAA club grounds prior to the Regency shooting on February 5, 2016. It had been alleged that the pair then helped two of the team that carried out the Regency attack to escape.

Kinahan cartel member David Byrne was shot dead after a hit team stormed the north Dublin hotel during a boxing weigh-in. The State had alleged that Gerard Hutch was one of these hitmen who shot Byrne, but the three-judge non-jury court found him not guilty last month following a 52-day trial.

Paul Murphy (61), of Cherry Avenue, Swords, Co. Dublin, and Jason Bonney (52), of Drumnigh Wood, Portmarnock, Dublin 13, were each found guilty of the charge of participating in or contributing to the murder of Mr Byrne (33) by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016.

Delivering the judgment in the case last month, Ms Justice Tara Burns said the court was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the Regency shooting was orchestrated by the Hutch criminal organisation.

In the case of Bonney, his defence argued that he did not drive the jeep used in the attack south of a location in Donaghmede on that day but his late father had. Ms Justice Burns said the court had been “lied to in the most malevolent manner” when Bonney’s deceased father was “implicated” in the attack.

She said: "That anyone thought this would be accepted by the Special Criminal Court is quite simply amazing.” At a hearing this morning, John Fitzgerald SC, for Bonney, described him as a “hard worker” who had been a valued member of his community through his role in boxing clubs and supporting young people into these activities.

He presented a number of letters to the court written by people who know Mr Bonney, describing him as a “true gent” and a “kind-hearted individual”. 

Another letter was written by a man who was taken into foster care with Bonney after befriending Bonney’s son as a child. “I wouldn’t be the person I am today without him,” the letter stated. Mr Fitzgerald said that the offence he was found guilty for was an “isolated incident in the context of his background”.

Bernard Condon SC, for Murphy, said that his client “ought to be considered at the lowest level of the ladder of responsibility” in the Regency shooting. He said Murphy was a taxi driver who had come across people “who were family members of people involved heavily in this gang”.

Murphy had a number of previous convictions, many of which were for road traffic offences, and was not on the “garda radar”, the court heard. Previously known as Christopher Ryan, he had changed his name by deed poll in October 1987.

A number of letters of support for Murphy were also given to the court. Citing a case involving a similar offence, Mr Condon said that the headline sentence in that case was fixed at eight years which may be “a little high in this case”.

Legal costs

Ms Justice Burns said that Bonney and Murphy will be sentenced at 10am on Friday morning. She also said that the court had expected to deal with the matter of Mr Hutch’s legal costs today and was “surprised” it wasn’t proceeding.

Both Sean Gillane SC, for the prosecution, and Brendan Grehan SC, for Mr Hutch, stated they believed costs were only for mention this morning. Mr Gillane said that the State would be opposing the costs application from Mr Hutch but that their submissions had to be finalised.

These submissions from both sides will be heard on Friday. It’s believed that Mr Hutch’s legal costs will run well into six figures.