Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch continues to manage real estate company from behind bars

Official records show that Hutch has not only retained the real estate company he set up in Lanzarote after fleeing to the island in 2016, he also recently registered a new address for the business from his cell in Wheatfield Prison.

Hutch set up the real estate business in the name of ‘Gerard Hutch’ just 10 months after the Regency Hotel attack that claimed the life of David Byrne — as he put in place a plan to leave Ireland for good.

Hutch listed the primary function of the business, which effectively saw him register to operate as a sole trader, as ‘management of real estate on a fee or contract basis’.

An official report obtained by theSunday World continues to list the business as ‘active’.

And despite Hutch’s current incarceration in Wheatfield Prison as he awaits a verdict from the Special Criminal Court on a charge of the murder of Byrne, the outlook or trajectory for the business is described as ‘good’.

Evidence that the business is being actively managed is shown by the fact he has relocated the company address from behind bars.

When the Sunday World first revealed Hutch’s involvement in the island’s rental sector in November 2021, the address for the business was listed in Calle Pluton in Tias, Lanzarote.

But updated records obtained this week show a new address for the business has been listed in Calle Timple in Tias.

Hutch has also retained a CIF number — a tax ID for the business which also serves as a Spanish VAT number — meaning he continues to be registered to pay taxes in the country in his own name.

When fighting extradition to Ireland to face the murder charge here, Hutch asked to be allowed return to Spain to serve his sentence in the eventuality he was found guilty.

But it’s understood that Hutch is now hopeful, following a three month trial, that the Special Criminal Court will find the State failed to prove its case against him ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’ — meaning he would be free to return to Spain following a not guilty verdict.

The verdict is due to be delivered on April 17.

Hutch, however, is also facing a separate and equally serious threat to his freedom.

He remains under investigation, in a probe parallel to the Regency investigation, on suspicion of directing a criminal gang.

Hutch was taken from his cell by specialist gardai from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation on September 28 and quizzed for more than 12 hours on suspicion of directing a crime gang.

The offence, similar to murder, carries with it the possibility of a life sentence.

Hutch was later released without charge and returned to the custody of the Irish Prison Service.

As part of this probe, gardai also arrested shamed ex-garda and convicted drug dealer John ‘Spud’ Murphy.

Murphy (63), who is now housed in the Midlands Prison in Portlaoise, is serving a six and a half year sentence after pleading guilty to possession of €260,000 worth of cannabis at his Dublin home in 2021.

Two weeks ago the former detective was taken from his cell to a Dublin garda station to face questioning by officers with the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

It’s understood gardai are probing Murphy’s links to Hutch to determine if confidential information was passed on to the gang.

Hutch has long been rumoured to have extensive property interests across Europe.

It was previously reported that he has interests in Spain, Turkey, Bulgaria, Hungary, the UK and Ireland, worth millions.

These include his family home in Clontarf, Dublin, believed to be worth almost €1m.