Courts / Dublin / Report

Senior Kinahan Cartel member caged over Hutch murder plot

Date
2020-08-31

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Tallaght

County
Dublin

Summary

The Special Criminal Court sentenced Patrick Curtis and Mohammed Smew for their roles in a Kinahan Cartel plot to murder Patrick "Patsy" Hutch. Curtis, 38, who admitted directing the criminal organisation, received a final sentence of 12 years imprisonment, with the last two years suspended. The suspension is conditional on a €100 bond, good behaviour, and one year of probation supervision following release. Smew, 27, who pleaded guilty to participating in the organisation by providing vehicles and assisting in planning, was sentenced to eight years and three months, with the final nine months suspended. Both sentences were backdated to December 2019. The court noted that the murder plan was postponed due to Storm Emma, after which Smew was arrested for a separate matter. Earlier in the case, co-accused Michael Burns, 43, who admitted a graver offence, was jailed for nine years. Stephen Curtis, 32, and Ciaran O'Driscoll, 25, were each sentenced to five years. Additionally, Mark Capper, 31, Gary Thompson, 35, Glen Thompson, 25, and Robert Browne, 36, received sentences of seven-and-a-half years, 12 years and six months, 12 years and six months, and 11 years and six months respectively for their involvement in the plot.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Senior Kinahan Cartel member caged over Hutch murder plot. Charges or matters: participating in the activities of a criminal organisation, to wit the murder of Mr Hutch, by providing, moving and repairing vehicles, and of the planning or assisting to plan an attempted shooting between February 1, 2018, and March 10, 2018; a graver offence. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

February 1 Other
March 10, 2018 Hearing Or Sentence
February 1, 2018 Hearing Or Sentence
December 2019 Incident
July 2019 Hearing Or Sentence
March 2018 Incident
February 28 Other
March 10 Other
March 27 Incident
2020-08-31 Publication

Why: Det Supt Gallagher explained that Burns was captured on an audio recording in the Mercedes asking an unidentified male about sourcing a silencer. CNI source report

Case subjects

Ciaran O'Driscoll

Convicted Person

Outcome: Ciaran O'Driscoll (25) were both sentenced to five years each in prison for their role in the plot to murder Mr Hutch. Last May, Kinahan Cartel foot soldier Mark Capper (31), who "poured cold water on" and withdrew from a plan to murder Mr Hutch three days before the proposed killing was also jailed by the Special Criminal Court for seven-and-a-half years.; He was remanded in custody which effectively ended his role in the plot to kill Mr Hutch, said Mr Gillane.

Gary Thompson

Convicted Person

Outcome: Gary Thompson (35) and his brother Glen Thompson (25) were each jailed for 12 years and six months. A third man, Afghan war veteran Robert Browne (36) was sentenced to 11 years and six months in prison.; He was remanded in custody which effectively ended his role in the plot to kill Mr Hutch, said Mr Gillane.

Glen Thompson

Convicted Person

Outcome: Glen Thompson (25) were each jailed for 12 years and six months. A third man, Afghan war veteran Robert Browne (36) was sentenced to 11 years and six months in prison.; He was remanded in custody which effectively ended his role in the plot to kill Mr Hutch, said Mr Gillane.

Mark Capper

Convicted Person

Outcome: Mark Capper (31), who "poured cold water on" and withdrew from a plan to murder Mr Hutch three days before the proposed killing was also jailed by the Special Criminal Court for seven-and-a-half years.; He was remanded in custody which effectively ended his role in the plot to kill Mr Hutch, said Mr Gillane.

Michael Burns

Co Accused

Charges: a graver offence (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Michael Burns (43) was jailed for nine years whilst Stephen Curtis (32), the younger brother of Patrick Curtis, and Ciaran O'Driscoll (25) were both sentenced to five years each in prison for their role in the plot to murder Mr Hutch.; Passing sentence on Smew, Mr Justice Hunt observed that the plan to perform the murder was postponed due to the arrival of Storm Emma on these shores and Smew was arrested and remanded in custody in relation to a separate matter after the arrival of the storm.

Mohammed Smew

Convicted Person

Charges: participating in the activities of a criminal organisation, to wit the murder of Mr Hutch, by providing, moving and repairing vehicles, and of the planning or assisting to plan an attempted shooting between February 1, 2018, and March 10, 2018; a graver offence (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Patrick Curtis (38) of Bellman's Walk, Seville Place, Dublin 1 was jailed for 10 years while his co-accused Smew (27) of Milner's Square, Shanowen Road, Santry, Dublin 9 was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison for their role in the plot to murder Patrick "Patsy" Hutch. Smew was sentenced to eight years and three months in prison with the final nine months suspended.; Passing sentence on Smew, Mr Justice Hunt observed that the plan to perform the murder was postponed due to the arrival of Storm Emma on these shores and Smew was arrested and remanded in custody in relation to a separate matter after the arrival of the storm.

Patrick Curtis

Convicted Person

Outcome: Patrick Curtis (38) of Bellman's Walk, Seville Place, Dublin 1 was jailed for 10 years while his co-accused Smew (27) of Milner's Square, Shanowen Road, Santry, Dublin 9 was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison for their role in the plot to murder Patrick "Patsy" Hutch. The non-jury court imposed a final sentence of 12 years imprisonment with the last two years suspended on Curtis.; Passing sentence on Smew, Mr Justice Hunt observed that the plan to perform the murder was postponed due to the arrival of Storm Emma on these shores and Smew was arrested and remanded in custody in relation to a separate matter after the arrival of the storm.

Robert Browne

Convicted Person

Outcome: Robert Browne (36) was sentenced to 11 years and six months in prison.; He was remanded in custody which effectively ended his role in the plot to kill Mr Hutch, said Mr Gillane.

Stephen Curtis

Convicted Person

Outcome: Stephen Curtis (32), the younger brother of Patrick Curtis, and Ciaran O'Driscoll (25) were both sentenced to five years each in prison for their role in the plot to murder Mr Hutch. Last May, Kinahan Cartel foot soldier Mark Capper (31), who "poured cold water on" and withdrew from a plan to murder Mr Hutch three days before the proposed killing was also jailed by the Special Criminal Court for seven-and-a-half years.; He was remanded in custody which effectively ended his role in the plot to kill Mr Hutch, said Mr Gillane.