Courts / Dublin / Report

Dowdall tells Regency Hotel murder trial that he is 'not a rat'

Date
2022-12-14

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

In the Special Criminal Court, Jonathan Dowdall, a former Sinn Fein councillor and key witness in the Regency Hotel murder trial, testified that he is 'not a rat' and is not involved with Sinn Fein. He denied lying under oath about his relationship with Pearse McAuley, who was jailed for the manslaughter of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe. Dowdall admitted to visiting McAuley in Castlerea Prison multiple times, though he initially claimed only two or three visits. Under cross-examination, it was revealed that he had visited McAuley 14 times between February 2015 and January 2016. Dowdall also testified that he was 'set up' for the murder of David Byrne by being connected to a room at the Regency Hotel used by one of the raiders. Gerard Hutch, who has pleaded guilty to facilitating Mr Byrne's murder, stated that a 'massive amount of pressure' was put on Dowdall after he was granted bail. Patrick Dowdall was jailed for two years before the Regency trial started after he admitted his part in booking the hotel room for the raiders. Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney have pleaded not guilty to charges of participating in or contributing to the murder of David Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. The matter was adjourned.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Dowdall tells Regency Hotel murder trial that he is 'not a rat'. Charges or matters: facilitating Mr Byrne's murder, said a "massive amount of pressure" was put on him after he was granted bail and that Gerard Hutch "put demands" on him. "I was to make myself available to his solicitor 24/7, he told me to contact his son, within a week when I didn't go to his solicitor, he sent people with motorbike helmets to my home, sent letters in my door," he said; Mr Byrne's murder, when he got his solicitor Ms Jenny McGeever to contact Detective Superintendent Paul Scott; 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, Drumc

When:

February 3, 2015 Other
January 2, 2016 Other
February 5, 2016 Other
September 26 2015 Other
February 2016 Other
January 2016 Other
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: He denied that the Ryans were "given their marching orders" because the other man was "higher up the food chain". CNI source report

Case subjects

Gerard Hutch

Convicted Person

Charges: facilitating Mr Byrne's murder, said a "massive amount of pressure" was put on him after he was granted bail and that Gerard Hutch "put demands" on him. "I was to make myself available to his solicitor 24/7, he told me to contact his son, within a week when I didn't go to his solicitor, he sent people with motorbike helmets to my home, sent letters in my door," he said; Mr Byrne's murder, when he got his solicitor Ms Jenny McGeever to contact Detective Superintendent Paul Scott (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: The witness earlier denied that he lied under oath about how friendly he was with former senior republican Pearse McAuley, who was jailed for the manslaughter of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe.

Jason Bonney

Defendant

Charges: participating in or contributing to the murder of David Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016 (Alleged Or Contested)

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; participating in or contributing to the murder of David Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 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

Charges: participating in or contributing to the murder of David Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016 (Alleged Or Contested)

Plea: Not guilty