Courts / Dublin / Report

Former SF councillor assessed for witness protection after turning State's Witness

Date
2022-10-03

Stage
Appeal

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

Former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall is being assessed for the Witness Protection Program after providing a statement to gardai that implicates others in the murder of David Byrne, who was shot dead at the Regency Hotel in 2016 as part of the Hutch/Kinahan gang feud. Jonathan Dowdall and his father Patrick Dowdall both pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder of David Byrne by making a hotel room available for the Hutch gang ahead of the murder. They admitted to participating in or contributing to activity intending to or being reckless as to whether such participation or contribution could facilitate the commission of a serious offence by a criminal organisation or any of its members, to wit the murder of David Byrne, by making a room available at the Regency Hotel, Drumcondra, Dublin 9 for that criminal organisation or its members, within the State on February 4, 2016. The three-judge Special Criminal Court adjourned sentencing of Jonathan Dowdall and his father Patrick Dowdall after hearing submissions from their respective counsel. The court heard that room 2104 in the Regency Hotel was booked using Patrick Dowdall's credit card on February 4, 2016, one day before Mr Byrne's murder. CCTV footage showed Patrick Dowdall arriving at the hotel, receiving key cards, and later handing them over to a known member of the Hutch criminal organisation. The matter is currently in the appeal stage.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Former SF councillor assessed for witness protection after turning State's Witness. Charges or matters: facilitating Mr Byrne's murder by making a hotel room available for the Hutch gang ahead of the murder, will never again live in Ireland, a garda told the three-judge Special Criminal Court this morning; facilitating the murder of David Byrne; Mr Byrne's murder; a lesser charge of facilitating the shooting at the Special Criminal Court last Wednesday; participating in or contributing to activity intending to or being reckless as to whether such participation or contribution could facilitate the commission of a serious offence by a criminal organisation or any of its members, to wit the murder of David Byrne, by making a room available at the Regency Hotel, Drumcondra, Dublin 9 for that criminal organisation or its members, within the State on February 4, 2016; but "beyon

When:

February 4, 2016 Incident
February 4th Hearing Or Sentence
February 5, 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
May 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
April 2021 Hearing Or Sentence
February 5 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
February 5 Other
February 4 Other
March 7 2016 Other
March 9 Incident
January 2015 Hearing Or Sentence
October 17 Adjournment
June 2017 Adjournment
January 15, 2015 Hearing Or Sentence
April 2018 Hearing Or Sentence
January 12, 2015 Incident
2022-10-03 Publication

Why: Det Sgt O'Toole explained that his colleague made contact with Patrick Dowdall and he admitted booking the room but claimed he had cancelled it. CNI source report

Case subjects

Jonathan Dowdall

Defendant

Charges: facilitating Mr Byrne's murder by making a hotel room available for the Hutch gang ahead of the murder, will never again live in Ireland, a garda told the three-judge Special Criminal Court this morning; facilitating the murder of David Byrne; Mr Byrne's murder; a lesser charge of facilitating the shooting at the Special Criminal Court last Wednesday; participating in or contributing to activity intending to or being reckless as to whether such participation or contribution could facilitate the commission of a serious offence by a criminal organisation or any of its members, to wit the murder of David Byrne, by making a room available at the Regency Hotel, Drumcondra, Dublin 9 for that criminal organisation or its members, within the State on February 4, 2016 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: The three-judge court adjourned sentencing of Jonathan Dowdall and his father Patrick Dowdall after hearing submissions from Jonathan Dowdall's counsel Mr Michael O' Higgins SC and Patrick Dowdall's barrister Mr Michael Bowman SC.

Patrick Dowdall

Defendant

Charges: facilitating the murder of David Byrne; Mr Byrne's murder; a lesser charge of facilitating the shooting at the Special Criminal Court last Wednesday; participating in or contributing to activity intending to or being reckless as to whether such participation or contribution could facilitate the commission of a serious offence by a criminal organisation or any of its members, to wit the murder of David Byrne, by making a room available at the Regency Hotel, Drumcondra, Dublin 9 for that criminal organisation or its members, within the State on February 4, 2016; but "beyond that" (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty