Courts

Member of Hutch family jailed for attempted robbery of woman in Dublin city centre

Alan Hutch (41) pleaded guilty to trying to steal €100 from victim at ATM on Talbot Street last year

Defence counsel said Alan Hutch was 'in a very dark place' at the time of this offence and had been suffering from schizophrenia, psychosis and auditory hallucinations. Photograph: Collins Courts
Defence counsel said Alan Hutch was 'in a very dark place' at the time of this offence and had been suffering from schizophrenia, psychosis and auditory hallucinations. Photograph: Collins Courts
Jessica Magee
Thu May 09 2024 - 17:43

A member of the well-known Hutch family has been sentenced to 21 months in prison for attempting to rob €100 from a woman in Dublin city centre.

Alan Hutch (41) pleaded guilty to attempted robbery outside Tesco on Talbot Street on March 3rd last year.

At a sitting of Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on Thursday, the court heard a woman had just withdrawn €100 from an ATM when Hutch approached from behind and tried, unsuccessfully, to grab it off her.

Multiple CCTV cameras placed in the area identified him, which was part of extra Garda operations in light of feuds concerning the Hutch family.

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Alan Hutch is the son of Eddie Hutch (59), who was murdered at his home on February 8th, 2016, three days after the gangland killing of David Byrne (33) at the Regency Hotel in Whitehall.

Counsel for Alan Hutch said his client’s mental health took a downward spiral after his father was shot dead and the subsequent media interest.

Derek Cooney BL, defending, said Hutch was “in a very dark place” at the time of this offence and had been suffering from schizophrenia, psychosis and auditory hallucinations. “He has the name of Hutch, which puts a card on him and his siblings,” said counsel.

“This poor woman was only getting money out of the machine, and for Hutch to do this in full-blown view of all the cameras clearly shows the desperation he had at the time,” said Mr Cooney.

“There was no thought or planning put into this. He has very little recollection of the event. He was clearly suffering from mental health difficulties on the day,” counsel added.

Mr Cooney said Hutch had come from “traumatic and chaotic family circumstances” and had come upon his mother after she died in January 2023. One of his brothers died from an overdose, and another brother suffers from cerebral palsy, the court heard.

“Everyone seems to him to want to do him harm,” said Mr Cooney, adding that Hutch himself had been hospitalised several times after he overdosed in custody.

Hutch tested positive for “a multitude of drugs” on his arrest and is currently on methadone, as well as antipsychotic medications, the court heard.

Garda Cathy Giblin told Simon Matthews BL, prosecuting, that the woman was very shaken after the incident but had managed to hold on to her €100. Her hands were sore after she struggled with Hutch, the court heard.

CCTV was used to identify Hutch and addresses for him in Portland Row and also at a Peter McVerry Hostel on the New Cabra Road were searched.

The woman did not wish to make a victim impact statement.

Hutch has 80 previous convictions, of which 34 are for Circuit Court offences, including assault causing harm.

The court heard that he was on bail for other offences at the time of this incident.

Hutch has been in custody since April 28th, 2023, on this matter.

Judge Martin Nolan said Hutch had mental health problems and his family has suffered many tragedies. He expressed the hope that medication would help Hutch and accepted that he had not meant to do the woman any harm.

Judge Nolan sentenced him to 21 months in prison.