This afternoon.

Earlier…

The Regency Hotel, Swords Road, Dublin 9

The trial had been stalled over the disclosure by the prosecution of emails between four gardaí. Following that adjournment Det Supt [Colm] Fox’s death took place.

Notes written by the late superintendent were handed into the court and read by the three judges.

The trial was further adjourned to allow time for a progress report to be outlined to the court.

This report concerned the analysis of electronic data – a mobile phone, two USB devices and a laptop computer – as part of an inquiry into the death of Det Supt Fox.

Regency Hotel murder trial of Patrick Hutch collapses a year after it began (Independent.ie)

Charges dropped against Regency Hotel murder accused Patrick Hutch (RTÉ)

Previously: A Right To Know

Rollingnews

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47 thoughts on “Dropped

  1. Panty Christ

    Because the gardai picked a suspect and made a case to fit the person and got rumbled. Nothing has changed.

    1. dhaughton99

      Was he photographed running away by the Sunday World?

      I went past the courts earlier and they all were all outside with banners and posters for some reason.

    2. Rep

      There is a photo of him running out of the hotel holding a gun.

      They didn’t just pick him at random ffs.

  2. eoin

    €20 million Garda investigation and trial collapses, with the prime suspect (for the attacker dressed in a wig) walks free.

    “Members of the Byrne family stood up and called the situation “disgraceful” and a “farce”. They said there was “no justice in Ireland” and claimed that gardaí could not “solve this case but could solve all the others”.
    They told members of the media sitting in front of them that “you can put that in the paper”. One Byrne family member said: “you’re afraid of the Hutches, that’s what you are”.” says the Irish Times

    Why?

    “the State was no longer in a position to lead evidence on a number of matters “sadly” as a result of the death [suicide actually, after certain emails between investigating Gardai were uncovered] of the lead investigating garda on the case, Det Supt Colm Fox.”

    Now that the trial has collapsed, release the emails and inform us why we’ve wasted so much money and resources on a murder investigation only for the prime suspect to walk free.Do the emails reveal malfeasance or corruption by the Gardai? It’s not just the family of the murdered man who feel cheated.

    1. Bodger

      We did query some (obvious) anomalies about the shooting at the time and were called conspiracy theorists, crinkly tin-foil lads and whatnot from many ‘sheet heads.

      1. rotide

        But you are a conspiracy theorist.

        In this context, I don’t use that as a perjorative (although clearly I think they are offensive ignorant points of view to hold), I just mean that you believe the moon landings were faked, the sandy hook shootings were carried out by actors and a pizza restaurant harbours a child sex ring.

        Believing all this, how can you not classify yourself as a conspiracy theorist?

          1. Cian

            It’s not bullying. Bullying is when

            an individual or a group of people with more power, repeatedly and intentionally cause hurt or harm to another person or group of people who feel helpless to respond.
            or
            three minimum criteria: (1) hostile intent, (2) imbalance of power and (3) repetition over a period of time

            There has to be an imbalance of power. So unless rotide has more power than the rest of us – it isn’t bullying.

          2. rotide

            Thank you Cian. Bear in mind this accusation of bullying comes from the owner of the actual site. I don’t see how I have more power in this situation than him.

          3. Bodger

            We run an extremely tolerant ship, as you and Cian know, but your frequent belittling of me is becoming genuinely hurtful. As I said this is ‘close to bullying’ and I do know what being bullied feels like. Using every opportunity to take these swipes and digs cannot be good for you. I’ve certainly had enough of it.

          4. rotide

            I don’t know what to make of this.

            If Dennis O’Brien, Leo Varadkar, John Waters, etc etc etc came to you and said that your comments section belittled them and made them feel hurt, how would you react?

            Every second article you publish here is critical of peoples opinions. There is an inordinate amount of negative comments about people not only in public office but in the media, religion, and of various political and social beliefs.

            Sure, I am critical of your opinions on certain subjects which i find to be offensive. I pretty much only mention them when it is relevant to mention them, such as when you brought up the conspiracy aspect above or when you +1’d an insane moon hoax comment or when you talked about the Qanon guff. Partly because I find it ridiculous but mainly because I find it perplexing to hold these views and aspire to be a news source while being so critical of media in this country.

            I’m the best boy in town when you publish dogs in reindeer outfits though.

          5. Yep

            Rotide, you spend an inordinate amount of time moaning about the site (which you consistently call a blog) and belittle other people in the comment section even when their opinions are valid.

            Why?

            For the amount of whackjob stuff (sorry Bodger, some are out there and distasteful IMO) there is an equal number of interesting, informative and entertaining posts.

            All you ever seem to contribute is whining.

          6. Martco

            @Yep
            correct, thats how editoR@ rolls

            I might give him some credit if he refrained from the nasty pointless snipes as you have correctly identified but he gave that game away a long time ago

            just an oul establishment curmudgeon from what I can make out…perhaps he’s a disgruntled ex-editor or something

            ah who knows who cares

            keep on truckin’ @Bodger

          7. rotide

            “Rotide, you spend an inordinate amount of time moaning about the site (which you consistently call a blog) and belittle other people in the comment section even when their opinions are valid.”

            90% of the comments here are people moaning about something. Usually FG, The Church, DoB or RTE. Would you like to find me a handful of comments from Dav where he HASN’T accused the blushirts of something or other? Look at this thread for example. We have zero details of why this case was dropped but already there are a majority of comments along the lines of ‘ireland and/or the guards are awful’

            The only reason I call this site a blog is that it basically only has 2 main contributors. Sure, Orla does the tweets from court cases but in the main it’s bodger’s curating news and current affairs and Chompsky, who is an entirely separate person doing the arts and culture stuff. I’d have been a right old poo-poo head to overlook that!

            I know its trendy to hate The Journal but they do have a staff and nowhere near the editorial bias that broadsheet does. I do accept that the two sites perform very different functions though.

            “For the amount of whackjob stuff (sorry Bodger, some are out there and distasteful IMO) there is an equal number of interesting, informative and entertaining posts.”

            Couldn’t agree more. If it wasn’t for the interesting and informative stuff (and I should have mentioned that in my previous post) I wouldn’t still be coming here. I also find it useful to challenge my own opinions by reading other points of view that I don’t always agree with. People like Nigel are especially useful in that regard

            @Bodger, “picking on you”? I’m CERTAINLY not the only one who takes umbrage with the conspiracy end of things.

          8. johnny

            Chompsky’s posts are amazing,incredible stuff I often wait until I’ve had a smoke and look at them-some of them are truly mind-blowing:)
            Jayzus Ro stop always seeking negative attention, for a man of your age try growing up,FFS its FREE,only a miserable oul b**licx like yourself could find so much to constantly whine and complain about.

      2. eoin

        And the tragic part now is, we have facts, the investigation and trial did cost a fortune (€20m is my estimate, but that’s probably too conservative), a suspect who does bear an extraordinary resemblance to one of the participants in the attack which resulted in murder (though he denies he was involved) and the trial has now collapsed and the suspect is free.

        What happens to all the Garda work? The huge examination of CCTVs, the alibi for the suspect, forensics from recovered vehicles and weapons? Why was all of that for nothing and why couldn’t it be tested in court? At least with other collapsed trials, we have a reason for the collapse, a dodgy search warrant, contempt by newspapers, what have you. In this case, all we have is a Garda leading the case died. Yet he was leading a large team and would ultimately be responsible to a more senior Garda. Why can’t the case continue? Why were emails between investigating Gardai only brought to light to the defence late in the day and why were they so significant? Suicide is complex, but in the circumstances, it’s fair to ask were the emails connected to the death?

        It’s not just the family of the victim that deserve answers.

        1. paddy apathy

          Eóin, curious where you’re coming by the €20 mill mark. Mueller investigation is estimated to come home at about $35 mill according to politico?

  3. dan

    You have to feel sympathy for the Family of Det Supt Colm Fox, whatever was going on to drive him to do what he did.

  4. RuilleBuille

    Evidence was clearly being fabricated to convict this man.

    But you won’t read that in the papers or on the news.

    1. ReproBertie

      “Evidence was clearly being fabricated to convict this man. ”

      Pics or GTFO, as the kids used to say.

  5. Catherine costelloe

    Extraordinary times in An Garda . In fact the funeral of the late David Byrne was like scenes from a Mafia film, thousands upon thousands spent on wreaths,
    limousines, a luxurious blue coffin, ( it didn’t matter David, we all go to dust) , a show of solitary of suited , blue shirted associates parading behind the coffin akin to a state funeral. His family join the long queue of unsolved murders in the Republic…..are we heading to 400 mark? Sad day all round for Mr Fox’s and Byrne family. No accountability and no justice joins the drum of failures.

  6. Holden MaGroin

    I don’t think we can say what we think happened here because we might get Bodger in trouble and legal coffee drinker would have to be called.

    The theories flying around must be mad.

  7. GrannySoreUsRekt

    Always knew the ‘Regency Shooting” event was a Hoax.

    We’re seeing a lot more of them these days. [Panic]

    And yet when you call them out the shills go to town on you. [Panic]

    When you’re over the target is when they [Panic] the most.

    Chin up Bodger! Wear the flack as a badge of honour.

    You’re too good for this shill-box anyway.

  8. Emily Dickinson

    The issue yet again is what’s going on with the Guards. It’s just scandal upon scandal, and no one who’s been paying any sort of attention can be optimistic that we’re going to get to the bottom of this. And as for deriding ‘conspiracy theories,’ a level of cynicism about policing in Ireland is beyond warranted. It’s a disgrace that the political system hasn’t got to grips with this.

  9. Liam Deliverance

    I am sure the Garda Commissioner will be along shortly to explain all this and why the AGS is as dis-functional now as it was 10 years ago. GSOC, The Policing Authority, whatever the latest one is called, all useless and a waste of taxpayers money. Did they sort out the carry on and corruption in Templemore, where new garda are trained in the ways of the organisation from day one or is it still the same there.

  10. eoin

    How long was the suspect Patrick Hutch remanded in custody for? 2.5 years? One tenth of his entire life? What sort of compo can he now expect after the trial collapsed (after emails amongst investigating Gardai came to light)? €250,000? Imagine being the mother of the victim, seeing that Sunday World photograph and its resemblance to the suspect and then watching the suspect walk free today without even a trial.

    This makes the 2 million falsified breath tests, the 15,000 groundless convictions, the 1-in-4 Gardai being investigated for criminal failure to prosecute juvenile crimes, the accounting irregularities (and that’s being kind) at the Garda training college and at Dublin Garda credit unions, the fabrication and under-reporting of crime statistics, the lies at the disclosure tribunal, the smearing of Sgt McCabe, sorry, I forgot the point I wanted to make.

  11. Emily Dickinson

    The standard playbook now requires the rapid production of a suitable diversion for the media. Maybe a small forest in Cork will be dug up looking for bodies that aren’t there, or maybe Primetime can do a special report about some hopeless cold case from the 1980s.

    1. Catherine costelloe

      Emily, the remains of university graduate Cathal o Brien ARE in Cork City , Lothmore wooded area since 1995. His schoolmaster father Seamus, mother Eileen and Cathals siblings wold be overwhelmed at such a potential search occurring to give them back their wonderful boy.

      1. Emily Dickinson

        Sorry to hear about that, Catherine. I was thinking specifically of the farcical search for Tina Satchwell’s body in a wooded area the last time the Guards wanted to change the narrative.

  12. Catherine costelloe

    Emily, the remains of university graduate Cathal o Brien ARE in Cork City , Lothmore wooded area since 1995. His schoolmaster father Seamus, mother Eileen and Cathals siblings wold be overwhelmed at such a potential search occurring to give them back their wonderful boy.

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