Daughter of refugee hit by Derek Hutch's motorbike asks for prayers for injured mum

An eyewitness to the collision that has left grandmother Velentyna Linok (61) critically injured has told how after the crash, Hutch - who thought he'd hit a man - looked up and said: "He just ran out in front of me."

Hutch (37), a nephew of Gerry 'the Monk' Hutch, was breathalysed by gardaí at the scene on Amiens Street but tested negative for alcohol.

Blood tests were also taken after convicted killer and armed robber was removed from the scene to the Mater Hospital.

The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission were notified of the incident by officers as, minutes prior to the crash, Hutch had turned away from a patrol as they were engaging with an unrelated individual near Fairview Park.

A source said gardaí had not pursued Hutch but the "turn away" had been circulated as it had been noticed by the officers in question.

Injured Velentyna's daughter Anastasiia was yesterday keeping a vigil at her mother's bedside in the Mater Hospital in Dublin, where she remained in a critical condition following surgery.

In messages sent by Anastasiia on a social media group set up for Ukrainian refugees, she asked her fellow residents at the North Star hotel to pray for her mum.

"My mother was hit by a motorcycle," she wrote. "Please pray for my mother to heal."

Anastasiia also told friends yesterday that her mother remained very seriously ill but was sleeping rather than unconscious in her hospital bed.

"Her mother is very very ill," a friend told this newspaper.

"We are all praying for her but she is very badly injured.

"She said she is sleeping now but not unconscious."

In a separate message, Anastasiia also asked her fellow refugees if they could help her locate a Ukrainian church in Ireland.

"Thank you to everyone who wrote in this group," she said.

"If you know how to contact the Ukrainian Church in Ireland, write to me."

It's understood Velentyna, Anastasiia and the younger woman's child had fled to Ireland from Putin's war in Ukraine in recent weeks.

They were being accommodated in the North Star hotel on Amiens Street.

The grandmother was crossing Dublin's Amiens St on Friday afternoon when Hutch's high-powered motorcycle collided with Velentyna.

Sources said gardaí were aware of reports she may have been going to to a school on Sheriff Street to pick up her grandchild but could not confirm this.

An eyewitness yesterday told the Sunday World: "We were standing on the footpath outside the Spar, near to where he was lying, after he'd come off the bike.

"I think he thought he'd hit a man because as people went to help him he looked up and said: 'He just ran out in front of me.'

"People were running to help him - other people had gone to help the woman - and then someone shouted: 'Don't touch him.'

"I suppose it was in case he'd suffered a spinal injury.

"He was covering his head as he lay on the ground and then after about a minute and a half a woman ran up with a scissors and seemed to cut something free from him.

"She was wearing black-leggings, flip-flops and a blue top and it seemed like she knew him.

"It was like she was helping him.

"The fire brigade and ambulances started to arrive then so I lost sight of her."

In a statement, Gardaí appealed for witnesses to the collision.

"Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to a road traffic collision that occurred on Amiens Street, Dublin 1 on Friday afternoon at approximately 1.20pm," the statement read.

"The collision involved a pedestrian and a motorcyclist.

"The female pedestrian (60s) was taken to The Mater Misericordiae University Hospital where her condition is currently described as serious.

"The male motorcyclist (30s) was also taken to The Mater Misericordiae University Hospital where he remains in treatment for injuries which are believed to be non-life threatening.

"Gardaí in Store Street are appealing for any witnesses who were in the North Strand/Amiens Street areas yesterday between 1pm and 1.30pm who may have footage (including dash cam) to make it available to them.

"Anyone with information is asked to contact Store Street Garda Station on 01 666 8000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.

"Investigations are ongoing."

Hutch was only released from prison last year after serving lengthy jail terms for manslaughter and an armed robbery.

Prior to his release from prison, the criminal was formally warned by Gardaí that there is a serious threat to his life.

The threat originates from the Kinahan cartel who have already murdered his brother Gary, uncle Eddie, and cousins Gareth and Derek 'Coakley' Hutch.

The warning came after the conclusion of a 16-year sentence he received in 2012 for his role in an armed raid in May 2009 in Lucan, west Dublin, during which his pal Gareth Molloy was shot dead by gardaí.

He had served lengthy concurrent sentences for offences including manslaughter, robbery and firearms offences and has been far from a model prisoner after getting into a number of scrapes behind bars.

He previously pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Barry Maguire (23) on December 26, 2007 at Milltown Estate in Ashbourne.

Since his release, he has been spotted walking around the city centre since his release wearing body armour for his own protection.

He is the older brother of Patrick Hutch (30) who went on trial and was later acquitted of the Regency Hotel murder of David Byrne in February 2016.