Courts / Dublin / Report

'Is there any way out', Dowdall asked gardai

Date
2023-01-13

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

The Special Criminal Court heard that Jonathan Dowdall, a former co-accused of Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch who has turned State's witness, asked a garda 'is there any way out' and 'if him and his family could get into the Witness Protection Programme' in the days following his arrest. The status of Dowdall's Witness Protection Programme (WPP) application remains unknown, with a decision expected in the middle of this month. Gerard Hutch (59), of The Paddocks, Clontarf, Dublin 3, denies the murder of David Byrne (33) during a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel on February 5, 2016. His co-accused, Paul Murphy (61), of Cherry Avenue, Swords, Co Dublin, and Jason Bonney (52), of Drumnigh Wood, Portmarnock, Dublin 13, have pleaded not guilty to participating in or contributing to the murder of Mr Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016. The court also heard that Patrick Dowdall was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment in June 2017 and later re-sentenced to 7 years and 11 months after successful appeals, following his guilty plea to falsely imprisoning Mr Hurley and threatening to kill him at Jonathan's family home on January 15, 2015. The matter was adjourned and never described as concluded or finalised.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: 'Is there any way out', Dowdall asked gardai. Charges or matters: participating in or contributing to the murder of Mr Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016; murder when his detention came to an end, the witness said he wasn't and that he was charged in relation to another matter at the end of his detention period; 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:

December 12 Hearing Or Sentence
February 5, 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
May 17 2016 Incident
May 2016 Incident
May 19 2016 Other
May 20 2016 Other
March 7, 2016 Other
March 9 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
June 2017 Other
January 15, 2015 Other
May 19 Hearing Or Sentence
May 20 Other
February 9 2016 Incident
February 5 Hearing Or Sentence
May 2014 Incident
October 3 Incident
February 4, 2016 Incident
February 4 Other
Christmas Other
2023-01-13 Publication

Case subjects

Gerard Hutch

Accused

Charges: participating in or contributing to the murder of Mr Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016; murder when his detention came to an end, the witness said he wasn't and that he was charged in relation to another matter at the end of his detention period; 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 (Alleged Or Contested)

Plea: Not guilty

Jason Bonney

Defendant

Plea: Not guilty

Patrick Dowdall

Convicted Person

Charges: murder when his detention came to an end, the witness said he wasn't and that he was charged in relation to another matter at the end of his detention period; 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: In June 2017, Dowdall was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment and his father Patrick Dowdall eight years imprisonment after pleading guilty to falsely imprisoning Mr Hurley and threatening to kill him at Jonathan's family home on January 15, 2015. Dowdall was later re-sentenced to 7 years and 11 months and Patrick Dowdall to four years imprisonment after successful appeals.

Paul Murphy

Defendant

Plea: Not guilty