Courts / Dublin / Report

Dowdall says he was 'set up' for David Byrne murder

Date
2022-12-14

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

The Regency Hotel murder trial continues before the Special Criminal Court, with Gerard Hutch, Paul Murphy, and Jason Bonney pleading not guilty to the murder of David Byrne. Jonathan Dowdall, a State's witness who pleaded guilty to facilitating the offence by making a hotel room available, testified under cross-examination. He alleged he was "set up" and claimed Gerard Hutch pressured him after his release from Wheatfield Prison. Dowdall stated he contacted gardai in November 2021 to clear his name, asserting he was not involved in the killing. The defence contended Dowdall's testimony was motivated by a quid pro quo arrangement to drop his murder charge. Patrick Dowdall, Jonathan's father, was previously jailed for two years for the same facilitation offence. Jonathan Dowdall was sentenced to four years for facilitating the criminal organisation. A nolle prosequi was entered on his murder charge following his sentence. His Witness Protection Programme application remains pending, with a decision expected in January. The trial is ongoing, with the prosecution alleging Kevin Murray used the room and cooperated with the raiders.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Dowdall says he was 'set up' for David Byrne murder. Charges or matters: Mr Byrne's murder, when he got his solicitor Ms Jenny McGeever to contact Detective Superintendent Paul Scott; murder which was partly his fault but that part of the reason was the danger to his wife and children. "I wasn't involved in the murder, why would I take the blame for the murder to keep other people happy," he continued; 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. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

February 5, 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
November 29 2021 Other
November 2021 Incident
February 4 2016 Other
February 4 Other
February 5 Hearing Or Sentence
May 2014 Incident
October 3 Incident
January 2015 Hearing Or Sentence
February 4, 2016 Incident
February 20 Incident
March 7, 2016 Incident
2022-12-14 Publication

Why: The ex-politician said he hadn't explained things when he was charged with murder which was partly his fault but that part of the reason was the danger to his wife and children. CNI source report

Case subjects

Gerard Hutch

Defendant

Charges: Mr Byrne's murder, when he got his solicitor Ms Jenny McGeever to contact Detective Superintendent Paul Scott; murder which was partly his fault but that part of the reason was the danger to his wife and children. "I wasn't involved in the murder, why would I take the blame for the murder to keep other people happy," he continued; 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

Jason Bonney

Defendant

Plea: Not guilty

Patrick Dowdall

Convicted Person

Charges: 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: Patrick Dowdall (65) was jailed for two years before the Regency trial started after he also admitted his part in booking the hotel room for the raiders.

Paul Murphy

Defendant

Plea: Not guilty