Regency accused told gardai taxi could have been 'cloned'

A man accused of facilitating the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in February 2016 told gardaí that his taxi could have been "cloned", the Special Criminal Court heard. Paul Murphy, aged 61, of Cherry Avenue, Swords, County Dublin, denies participating in or contributing to the murder by providing access to motor vehicles. Detective Garda Alan Crummey testified that Murphy stated he had purchased a Toyota Avensis from Eddie Hutch, whom he had known since childhood, paying €175 weekly for a year. Murphy told gardaí he drove his taxi to Buckingham Village on the morning of the shooting to meet Eddie Hutch for money to repair an oil leak. An access card recovered from Murphy's vehicle matched a batch found at Buckingham Village, with another card located at the home of Patsy Hutch on Champions Avenue. Murphy claimed he found the card months earlier between the front passenger seat and door.