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Garda bug sought under 'culture of secrecy', Hutch lawyers tell Regency trial

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 a lesser charge of making a hotel room available ahead of the February 2016 attack. He is currently being assessed for the Witness Protection Program to testify against his former co-accused, Gerard Hutch. Hutch, along with Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, stands trial for the murder. Murphy and Bonney have pleaded not guilty to charges of participating in or contributing to the murder by providing access to motor vehicles. The trial is currently at the procedural stage of addressing the admissibility of evidence. Defence counsel argued that a Garda bugging device recording conversations between Hutch and Dowdall was deployed under a "culture of secrecy" and in violation of the Criminal Justice Surveillance Act 2009, as the vehicle was allegedly in Northern Ireland for eight of the ten recorded hours. The prosecution maintains the recording is central to their case. The court will rule on the admissibility of this evidence after the prosecution responds to the defence submissions. The trial continues before a three-judge panel.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Garda bug sought under 'culture of secrecy', Hutch lawyers tell Regency trial. Charges or matters: Mr Byrne's murder. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• February 5, 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
• March 7 2016 Other
• March 7, 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
• March 7 Hearing Or Sentence
• Monday, March 7 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
• Tuesday, March 8 Hearing Or Sentence
• February 17, 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
• February 20 Hearing Or Sentence
• March 8 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2022-11-25 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Sentence Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report