Jonathan Keogh challenges ear-plug evidence in murder trial

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Jonathan Keogh, Regina Keogh and Thomas Fox have pleaded not guilty to murdering Gareth Hutch. Fox has also denied unlawfully possessing a Makarov 9mm handgun at the same place on 23 May 2016. The proceedings were reported on 5 July 2018.

Hutch was shot dead outside the Avondale House flats in Dublin on 24 May 2016. The prosecution alleged that Jonathan Keogh and another man, identified as Mr AB, were the shooters, and that Fox and Regina Keogh were instrumental in planning the murder.

Detective Sergeant Enda O’Sullivan told the court he travelled to London on 23 August 2017 to extradite Jonathan Keogh to Ireland. He said he saw an opportunity to obtain DNA from ear plugs if Keogh used and discarded them. The court heard that Keogh discarded the plugs on the aircraft and they were placed in an evidence bag.

Defence lawyer Michael Hourican argued that the ear plugs were necessary on health and safety grounds and that their seizure breached Keogh’s constitutional rights, bodily integrity and privacy. Prosecuting counsel Paul Burns said their use was optional: it might have been advisable, but was not necessary.

The three-judge court said it would rule on the admissibility of the ear plugs on Monday. The trial was continuing before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding, with Judge Patricia Ryan and Judge Michael Walsh.