Murder accused Gerard Hutch will not testify

Gerard Hutch is on trial for murdering David Byrne in a 2016 hotel shooting

Gerard Hutch, who is accused of a Dublin gangland murder, will not give evidence at his own trial, an Irish court has been told.

The 59-year-old Dubliner is accused of murdering David Byrne in a gun attack at a boxing weigh-in event almost six years ago.

Mr Byrne, who was 33, was shot dead at the Regency Airport Hotel in February 2016.

The killing was part of the Hutch-Kinahan gang feud.

Five gunmen, three disguised as armed gardaí (Irish police), entered the hotel carrying AK-47 assault rifles before the victim was shot six times.

The trial is now in its 50th day at the non-jury Special Criminal Court in Dublin.

At the hearing on Tuesday, prosecution lawyers concluded the state's case against Mr Hutch.

His defence barrister then told the court that the defence team would not call any evidence on Mr Hutch's behalf nor would his client take the stand.

The defendant, whose most recent address was The Paddocks, Clontarf, Dublin 3, denies murdering Mr Byrne.

Two other men are also on trial accused of helping Mr Byrne's killers - Paul Murphy, from Cherry Avenue, Swords, County Dublin and Jason Bonney, of Drumnigh Wood, Portmarnock, Dublin 13,

Mr Murphy, who is 61, and 52-year-old Mr Bonney have both pleaded not guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder by providing access to vehicles.

Mr Murphy's defence barrister also told the court he would not be calling any evidence on his client's behalf either.

The trial has previously heard that Mr Byrne was shot in the lobby of the hotel in Whitehall, Dublin 9, at about 14:32 local time on 5 February, 2016.

The prosecution has alleged that Mr Bonney was driving a black BMW X5 on the day of the murder and helped one of the gunmen to escape.

Mr Bonney's defence team called Julie McGlynn - a witness who claimed that she saw their client twice outside her mother's house on the day of the shooting.

One of their encounters was about 15 minutes after the gun attack, giving him an alibi at a time when the prosecution claim he was a getaway driver.

The witness said she knew Jason Bonney "30 odd years" and that he called to her mother' house in Donaghmede shortly before 11:30 local time that day.

It was her son's 13th birthday she said, and she was preparing to host a party.

Ms McGlynn said she spoke to Mr Bonney again later that afternoon shortly after she picked her children up from the bus.

She recalled arriving back at her mother's house between 14:45 and 14:50 but could not get into the driveway as Mr Bonney's truck was blocking the entrance.

She walked across the road to fetch Mr Bonney, at which point he apologised to her for blocking the driveway and gave her son 10 euros for his birthday.

The trial continues.