Widowed sister-in-law of Gerry Hutch settles damages claim over road crash

Ray Managh

Noeleen Coakley Hutch, the widow of Gerry (The Monk) Hutch’s late brother, on Tuesday settled a €60,000 damages claim for an undisclosed sum in the Circuit Civil Court.

She had sued Seamus Russell, of Alderwood Park, Tallaght, and Robben Jeofrey Phili, of Gateway Crescent, Ballymun, for damages arising out of a road traffic accident in April 2016 in which she alleged she had suffered soft tissue whiplash type injuries.

She had claimed to have been injured when the car in which she was travelling was struck by another vehicle owned by one of the defendants and driven by the other.

Judge Michael Walsh was told that the settlement, together with a court order for costs, was to be recorded against both defendants, neither of whom were in court at the time. Ms Coakley also was not in the courtroom.

Coakley (52) of Upper Buckingham Street Dublin 1, has been involved in at least six car accidents, which some years ago led to the then President of the Circuit Court, Mr Justice Raymond Groarke, stating in court, when awarding her €28,000 damages arising from another traffic accident, that the lesson to be learned was not to get into a car with Ms Coakley.

In 2018 her son, Derek Coakley, was shot dead only a day after having been awarded damages in the Circuit Civil Court. He had been murdered while sitting in a car near a Dublin halting site.