Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch
Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch has been released from prison after paying €100,000 bail.
The decision was taken by a court in the Lanzarote capital Arrecife today following an appeal from the Irish criminal last week.
The Canary Islands High Court press office confirmed in a statement at lunchtime today: “The Irish citizen remanded in custody in Lanzarote on October 25th as the alleged leader of an international criminal gang has been provisionally released on bail of €100,000 this morning, November 4th, after Court of Instruction Number Two in Arrecife upheld his appeal against the imprisonment order.
“The investigating magistrate took this decision after receiving a report from the Public Prosecutor’s Office which was favourable to the appeal.
“The Irish citizen is being investigated as the alleged perpetrator of a money laundering offence committed in the context of a criminal organisation.”
Hutch (61) was one of two of the nine suspects held in Lanzarote during dawn raids on October 23 who were remanded in custody after a behind-closed-doors court hearing in Arrecife two days later. He and an alleged British associate were sent to the island’s tough Tahiche Prison. His Costa del Sol flat was also searched after armed cops broke down the door.
Hutch is thought to have been obliged to surrender his passport as part of his bail conditions and agreed to sign on at least twice a month at court, although that has not yet been confirmed by the authorities.
It is not clear if he will have to remain in Lanzarote or can travel to the Spanish mainland. A court-imposed security order is understood to be still in place. Police in Lanzarote have yet to make any comment.
The Canary Islands’ High Court said in a statement after Hutch’s remand in prison last month: “The duty court in Arrecife, Court of Investigation Number Two, has today taken statements from nine people as alleged members of a gang of international criminals, who are being investigated as the alleged perpetrators of crimes of money laundering committed within the scope of a criminal organisation.
“The investigating magistrate has ordered the incarceration on remand without bail of the two alleged ringleaders and has ordered the provisional release of the other seven.
“The investigation continues, it is not closed, and the proceedings have been declared secret.”
The probe is understood to be focused on Gerry Hutch’s property purchases in Spain, including B&Bs.
