Gareth Hutch murder: Man in court in connection with gun attack

Gareth Hutch died in hospital after he was shot at flats in the north inner city

A man has appeared before Dublin District Court charged in connection with the murder of Gareth Hutch.

Thomas Fox, 29, of Rutland Court in Dublin, is charged with unlawful possession of a handgun.

The offence is alleged to have happened at Avondale House on 23 May, the day before Gareth Hutch was killed in the same area.

Gardaí (Irish police) asked that Mr Fox be remanded in custody for a week.

Chief Supt Pat Leahy told the court gardaí were objecting to bail due to the nature and seriousness of the charge.

He said the offence carries a potential sentence of up to 14 years in prison and he said a further more serious charge may be brought against Thomas Fox.

Defence solicitor Yvonne Bambury told the judge that her client had presented himself voluntarily to gardaí, which was "highly unusual" in such circumstances.

She said he did not appear to be a man who did not intend to stand trial. He has no valid passport and would undertake not to apply for any travel documents. She said his partner was due a baby in six weeks' time.

Gareth Hutch, 35, was shot dead outside flats on North Cumberland Street in Dublin, where he lived, on 24 May.

His murder is believed to be the seventh connected to a feud between two criminal gangs.

A woman was remanded in custody accused of withholding information on Tuesday.

Mary McDonnell, 44, of Avondale House on North Cumberland Street, was charged with failing to disclose information that could assist police.

She was remanded in custody to appear in court again on 7 June.

The shooting is thought to be the latest killing in a feud between criminal gangs

Gareth Hutch was the nephew of Gerard Hutch, a notorious Dublin criminal known as The Monk.

Six people have died in the greater Dublin area since February as a result of a violent dispute between the Hutch and Kinahan gangs.

Earlier this month Patrick Hutch became the first man to be charged with one of the murders.

He is accused of killing David Byrne in a shooting at a boxing weigh-in event at the Regency Hotel in Dublin in February.

The murder of Gerard Hutch's brother, Gary, in Spain last year is believed to have been the first death in the feud.