ARMED GARDAÍ AND the Defence Forces were out in force today to secure the Courts of Criminal Justice (CCJ) ahead of the appearance of Patrick Hutch.

Hutch (24) is charged with the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in February 2016. The case is being heard before the Special Criminal Court.

Security at the CCJ had already been high since the trial started earlier this month. Armed units have escorted Hutch to the courthouse for every hearing.

The Defence Forces today formed part of the armed escort bringing Hutch to trial.

There has also been a large Garda presence inside the CCJ. From the outset, there have been armed units as well as officers attached to the public order units checking the credentials of those trying to enter the courtroom itself.

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Gardaí had feared that there could be an escalation of violence during the trial and Saturday’s murder confirmed their worries.

Derek Hutch Coakley – a nephew of Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch – was killed in Clondalkin over the weekend.

On Saturday afternoon, the 27-year-old Derek Hutch was shot dead at the Bridgeview halting site near Cloverhill Road, Dublin.

The alarm was raised shortly after 3pm and a number of Garda units and emergency services attended the scene.

He was shot while sitting in a car near the site, close to Cloverhill Prison.

The location of the attack was sealed off yesterday and the State Pathologist and members of the Garda Technical Bureau were requested to attend the scene.

Gardaí from Lucan Garda Station are asking anyone who was in the Cloverhill Road area between 1.30pm and 3.10pm on Saturday with dash cam footage to come forward.

They are particularly looking for information in relation to two cars:

• A black Volkswagen Golf with a 05-CE-1675 registration
• A black Toyota Avensis with a 04-D-72956 registration

Read: Man killed in feud-related shooting in Dublin

More: Evidence from garda identifying Patrick Hutch may be ‘compromised by press coverage’, court told