Courts / Dublin / Report

Non-jury court finds man guilty of "deliberate and callous" murder of Gareth Hutch

Date
2018-11-02

Stage
Trial

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

Jonathan Keogh, 33, was found guilty of the murder of Gareth Hutch at the Special Criminal Court. The non-jury court, presided over by Mr Justice Tony Hunt, determined that Keogh fired the fatal shots in a "cold-blooded manner" and played a central role in planning the killing. The court rejected Keogh's denial, finding that the evidence pointed "firmly and unequivocally" to his involvement. The verdict relied on circumstantial evidence, including DNA links to a black BMW used in the attack and CCTV footage of Keogh purchasing cleaning supplies, which corroborated the testimony of protected witness Mary McDonnell. The court noted that the plan was in place by May 2016, when mobile phones were acquired. While Keogh was convicted, the court has yet to deliver verdicts for co-accused Thomas Fox and Regina Keogh, both of whom have also denied the murder charge. The matter regarding Fox and Regina Keogh remains pending, with the court still to determine their findings. The trial concluded with Keogh's conviction, but the overall case is not fully finalised until the remaining verdicts are delivered.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Non-jury court finds man guilty of "deliberate and callous" murder of Gareth Hutch. Charges or matters: murder. Procedural stage: trial

When:

May 24, 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
May 22, 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
2018-11-02 Publication

Why: Giving the court's verdict today, Mr Justice Hunt said that Keogh fled to Belfast in the aftermath of the murder not because he was going to be wrongly accused of Mr Hutch's murder but because he was involved in it all along. CNI source report