Hunted gangster hiding in hotels under false name

A member of the Hutch gang is booking himself into hotels under "bizarre false foreign names" in a bid to stay one step ahead of the rival Kinahans.

Ross Hutch (24) was in The Sunset House in Summerhill on Monday night when the sixth victim of the gang feud was shot dead.

It is understood that he fled the pub after dissident Republican figure Michael 'Mickey' Barr (34) was murdered.

• Read more: Key garda in Limerick gang war says there is a 'complete parallel' with Dublin's violent feuds

Ross has been too terrified to stay in his family home in the Dorset Street area of the capital after the gruesome February 8 murder of his dad Eddie Hutch as part of the bitter feud.

"Ross has been booking into different city centre hotels under a bizarre false foreign name but this has not always worked out for him," said a source.

• Read more: Hutch gang member who appeared on Winning Streak flees pub gun murder

"In some cases, hotel staff have become aware of his true identity and have then refused him to allow to stay in their premises because of the security concerns that surround this individual.

"This has meant that he has had to stay in safe houses on occasion as well."

Sources say that Ross has "very good reason to be paranoid" because he has been identified as a key target for the Kinahan cartel and has been warned of a threat against his life.

• Read more: Timeline: Murders, attacks and attempted talks of deadly Hutch-Kinahan feud

Ross featured on 'Winning Streak' last year and left presenter Sinead Kennedy red-faced after he paid her a compliment.

He appeared on 'Winning Streak' to play on behalf of his older brother Eddie (41), and the pair walked away with some €33,000 in cash and prizes from the National Lottery show.

Ross has 54 previous convictions for offences such as assault, dangerous driving and endangerment, robbery and violent disorder.

Meanwhile, there have been no arrests yet in relation to the murder of Barr on Monday.

The latest killing has led to massive concern that the so-called 'New IRA' faction will seek revenge upon the Kinahan cartel.

Barr was the sixth victim of the Hutch/Kinahan feud - which is showing no signs of slowing down.

• Read more: 'Despicable and evil' - Archbishop Diarmuid Martin slams gun murders and calls on public to 'break the chain of hate'

Meanwhile, Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald insisted that the €5m pledged in February to tackle organised crime was available to spend. But she said that the deployment of resources was a matter for the Garda Commissioner.

Fianna Fáil's Niall Collins raised questions about the money that was pledged two months ago and said: "Since then we have seen more violent killings as the war between feuding gangs escalates. This raises serious questions about the resources promised by Minister Fitzgerald."

A spokeswoman for Ms Fitzgerald said: "The minister indicated to the Garda Commissioner that an additional €5m was available to cover both the cost of establishing an Armed Support Unit and saturation policing. It has been made available to spend and is being spent."