Jeep belonging to Regency accused had 'fresh valet smell', garda tells trial

A garda has given evidence at the Special Criminal Court trial of three men accused of involvement in the murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in February 2016. The officer told the court that a BMW X5 belonging to Jason Bonney, seized in Donaghmede on 20 February 2016, appeared to have been recently valeted and cleaned, with a fresh smell detected inside the vehicle. Bonney, aged 51, of Drumnigh Wood, Portmarnock, Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder by providing access to motor vehicles. Co-accused Gerard Hutch and Paul Murphy have also denied involvement. Detective Sergeant Patrick O'Toole gave evidence regarding searches of addresses in Dublin, including Champions Avenue and Buckingham Village, during which various items were recovered. The court heard that a Ford key observed during an initial search of Champions Avenue was not seized in error, requiring gardaí to obtain a second warrant. The trial continues before Ms Justice Tara Burns and two other judges.