Courts / Dublin / Report

Hutch tapes: Daniel Kinahan 'in a f**kin heap', 'cops like headless chickens', trial hears

Date
2022-11-22

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

The Special Criminal Court has sentenced Jonathan Dowdall to four years' imprisonment for facilitating the Hutch gang in the murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne. Dowdall, a former Sinn Fein councillor, pleaded guilty to the charge. The court also heard evidence in the ongoing trial of co-accused Gerard Hutch, who pleaded not guilty to the same murder. The trial featured audio recordings of conversations between Hutch and Dowdall, allegedly captured while travelling to the North. In these recordings, Hutch stated that Daniel Kinahan looked "in a fuckin heap" following the Regency Hotel attack and claimed police were "going around like headless chickens." The prosecution presented these tapes as core evidence, while the defence argued for their exclusion, claiming the vehicle was outside the State's jurisdiction for most of the recording. Other defendants Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney also pleaded not guilty. The court proceedings focused on the admissibility of the bugged conversations, with the defence contending the evidence was illicit. The sentencing of Dowdall marks a significant development in the case, while the trial for Hutch and others continues.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Hutch tapes: Daniel Kinahan 'in a f**kin heap', 'cops like headless chickens', trial hears. Charges or matters: Mr Byrne's murder. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

March 7, 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
February 5, 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
Monday, March 7 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
Tuesday, March 8 Hearing Or Sentence
February 20 Hearing Or Sentence
March 7 Hearing Or Sentence
March 8 Other
2022-11-22 Publication

Case subjects

Daniel Kinahan

Defendant

Charges: Mr Byrne's murder (Alleged Or Contested)

Outcome: Dowdall has been jailed by the Special Criminal Court for four years for facilitating the Hutch gang in the notorious murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne.

Gerard Hutch

Co Accused

Charges: Mr Byrne's murder (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Dowdall has been jailed by the Special Criminal Court for four years for facilitating the Hutch gang in the notorious murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne.

Jason Bonney

Defendant

Plea: Not guilty

Jonathan Dowdall

Defendant

Charges: Mr Byrne's murder (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Dowdall has been jailed by the Special Criminal Court for four years for facilitating the Hutch gang in the notorious murder of Kinahan Cartel member David Byrne.

Paul Murphy

Defendant

Plea: Not guilty