Legal

Acquittal of Gerry Hutch sparks calls for national debate on Special Criminal Court

Legal experts have said the trial shows the need for a discussion over the use of non-jury courts and the witness protection programme

Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch was found not guilty by the three-judge court yesterday after a 52-day trial which is expected to have cost hundreds of thousands of euros. Picture: Rollingnews.ie

The acquittal of Gerry “The Monk” Hutch on Monday by the Special Criminal Court has sparked calls for a national debate on the use of non-jury courts and the witness protection programme.

Hutch was found not guilty by the three-judge court yesterday after a 52-day trial which is expected to have cost hundreds of thousands of euros.

Hutch, who was charged with the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in Dublin in February ...