Gsoc investigator tells gardaí he was at Gerard Hutch acquittal party

The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (Gsoc) investigator who told colleagues he had attended a social gathering with members of the Hutch family after the acquittal of Gerard Hutch last week has been interviewed by detectives from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NBCI). It is understood he has now confirmed he was at the party when Gerard Hutch was also present.

The man has fully cooperated with the NBCI, the force’s serious crimes squad, as it conducts a fact-finding exercise to determine if any matters arise that warrant criminal investigation. However, the work being carried out at present by the NBCI is not a criminal inquiry. As such, the possibility of any arrests does not arise and the man who worked for Gsoc has not been arrested.

The man’s account on the Gsoc computer system was also been checked by the Garda, as were other devices, such as phones, he used during the period he worked for Gsoc.

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The Irish Times understands the former Gsoc investigator has been renting a property very close to a family home linked to Gerard Hutch in north Dublin. A social gathering was held at that Hutch home last Monday night, after Gerard Hutch was acquitted by the Special Criminal Court of the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in February, 2016.

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Garda sources said they believed a number of Hutch’s family members were at the gathering - including Gerard Hutch - as well as some neighbours from nearby houses. Gardaí are now trying to establish if the Gsoc investigator attended the gathering as a neighbour.

The same sources added while Gsoc became concerned when the man told colleagues he had been at the gathering, his attendance at the house was not a crime. However, because he claimed he was at the same party as a criminal, the Garda sources said they must now try to establish if the man who worked for Gsoc had any prior relationships, or contact, with any members of the Hutch family.

They added if the man had simply attended the party, however inappropriate that may appear, and had no other contact with Hutch family members, it was highly unlikely the Garda would investigate any further. However, sources stressed the fact-finding, or scoping, exercise by the NBCI was not yet completed, adding it would take some time to fully determine the nature of the man’s contacts, if any, with the Hutch family.

The man was hired by Gsoc as an investigator some years ago having worked as an investigator in another jurisdiction. Last week he told some of his colleagues at Gsoc he had been at a party with Gerard Hutch just hours after Gerard Hutch was acquitted. He was later informed by Gsoc it was concerned about what he had claimed and that an investigation into his claims was commencing. The man was informed he would be suspended pending the outcome of the investigation. He later decided to resign.

Gsoc compiled a report on the incident for Minister for Justice Simon Harris and also referred the matter onto the Garda for examination. No possible offences were disclosed in the Gsoc report to Mr Harris and the Garda’s inquiries at present are a scoping exercise to establish whether a criminal investigation is required.