Courts / Dublin / Report
Dowdall to appeal against sentence for Regency facilitation role
Summary
Jonathan Dowdall, a former Sinn Fein councillor, has appealed a four‑year jail sentence imposed by the Special Criminal Court for facilitating the Hutch gang in the murder of David Byrne. Dowdall admitted to providing a room at the Regency Hotel in February 2016, which was used for Byrne's killing. He was originally charged with Byrne's murder, but the State dropped that charge after he pleaded guilty to the facilitation offence. The sentence, delivered in October, was based on Dowdall's knowledge that he was aiding a serious criminal organisation and his receipt of instructions to secure the hotel room. Dowdall, now 44, is appealing on the grounds of severity, and the Court of Appeal has set a hearing for 20 February. He is also being assessed for the Witness Protection Programme and is giving evidence for the State against former associate Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch. The unnamed accused was convicted.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Dowdall to appeal against sentence for Regency facilitation role. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Convicted
When:
- February 2016 Incident
- September 9 Incident
- February 20 Incident
- January 2015 Hearing Or Sentence
- February 4, 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2022-12-20 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Finding: Convicted
Outcome: Convicted; In October of this year, Dowdall (44) of Navan Road, Cabra, Dublin 7, was sentenced before the three-judge court to four years imprisonment after he pleaded guilty on September 9 last to the offence. Referring to a submission by counsel for Jonathan Dowdall that no "injustice" would be done by giving his client a suspended sentence due to exceptional circumstances of the case, Mr Justice Hunt said that "regrettably" the court could not accept this.
Places mentioned
- Special Criminal Court
- Court of Appeal
Topics
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