A 39-YEAR-OLD man was heckled and told he “should be f***ing shot” when he appeared in court on a charge of withholding information from gardaí investigating the murder of Real IRA leader Alan Ryan.
The dissident republican was shot dead near his home on September 3rd while he walked along Grange Lodge Avenue, in Clongriffin, north Dublin.
A masked gunman got out of a car and shot 32-year-old Ryan in the body and legs, bringing him to the ground, before he was hit with another bullet in his head.
A man who had been with Ryan sustained a wound to his leg. Gardaí later recovered a burnt-out car at Hole in the Wall Road in Donaghmede, which was believed to have been used by the killers.
Yesterday morning father-of- two Thomas Hunt was brought before Dublin District Court charged with withholding information that might have been of material assistance in securing the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of a person for the killing.
Mr Hunt, from Canon Lillis Avenue, north Dublin, had been detained at Coolock Garda station for questioning for a week.
The courtroom was cleared but journalists and members of Mr Hunt’s family were allowed stay.
Two men in the public gallery initially refused to budge, with one of them telling a garda: “We are here for Alan Ryan.” When the pair got up, the second man shouted “tiocfaidh ár lá”, and looked in the direction of Mr Hunt before adding “you should be f***ing shot”. After the men were escorted out of the courtroom, the hearing began. Garda Alan Roche told Judge Patricia McNamara Mr Hunt made “no reply” when the charge was put to him on Tuesday night. Garda Roche objected to bail, saying there were concerns Mr Hunt would flee the jurisdiction. He cited the seriousness of the charge.
Garda Roche said it was a complex investigation with a large volume of CCTV footage, witness statements and computer analysis.
He agreed with defence solicitor Jenny McGeever that Mr Hunt was in a long-term relationship, had children and “was rooted in his community”.
Ms McGeever said that Mr Hunt had serious health problems but did not have any addiction issues, and she submitted that the garda had agreed that there was “not a smidgen of evidence” that he would leave the country.
She said Mr Hunt’s family were not well-off and that he had already surrendered his passport. She told the court Mr Hunt would abide by bail terms and not apply for any new travel documents.
Ms McGeever said the charge, which on conviction can carry a five-year sentence, would be “fully contested” by her client. Mr Hunt did not address the court.
Judge McNamara granted bail terms in Mr Hunt’s own bond of €6,000, of which she stipulated €2,000 must be lodged. She also said that, given the seriousness of the charge, an independent surety of €10,000 would have to be approved. Anyone intending to stand the €10,000 independent bail would have to give gardaí 24 hours’ notice to allow them check their veracity, the judge held.
In the event that bail is taken up, Mr Hunt must reside at a new address furnished to the court; give gardaí a mobile phone number so they can contact him; not apply for other travel documents; sign on three times a week at a Garda station; and “not interfere with witnesses directly or indirectly”. He was remanded in custody with consent to bail and will appear again at Cloverhill District Court next Wednesday.
At the time of his death, Alan Ryan was on bail awaiting trial on serious charges arising from an alleged extortion racket. He had also served sentences for IRA membership and firearms offences. A volley of three shots was fired over Ryan’s coffin during his paramilitary-style funeral, which was attended by hundreds of mourners.