Courts / Dublin / Report
Regency accused claims dad was driving his jeep on day of attack
Summary
The Special Criminal Court trial of Gerard Hutch, Paul Murphy, and Jason Bonney, all accused of participating in the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in February 2016, continues before Ms Justice Tara Burns. All three defendants have pleaded not guilty to charges including providing access to motor vehicles and facilitating the offence. Today, defence counsel for Mr Bonney stated it is their case that his father, not Mr Bonney, drove the BMW X5 alleged to have been used in the attack. Prosecution evidence from Garda Michele Purcell and Senior Intelligence Analyst Sarah Skedd detailed vehicle movements, including a Toyota Avensis taxi driven by Mr Murphy and the BMW X5, which allegedly transported a man in a flat cap from the scene. The court also heard evidence regarding Jonathan Dowdall, a former co-accused who turned State's witness. Mr Dowdall, a former Sinn Fein councillor, previously pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder by making a hotel room available and was sentenced to four years' imprisonment. His father, Patrick Dowdall, also pleaded guilty to the same facilitation charge and was jailed for two years. The trial will continue tomorrow with further evidence from Ms Skedd.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Regency accused claims dad was driving his jeep on day of attack. Charges or matters: participating in or contributing to the murder of Mr Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016; facilitating Mr Byrne's murder, was on the stand for eight days in December and cross-examined for seven of those by Mr Hutch's defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC before the Christmas break; 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 Other
- February 9 2016 Other
- February 4, 2016 Incident
- February 4 Other
- February 4 2016 Other
- February 5 Hearing Or Sentence
- December 13 Hearing Or Sentence
- May 2014 Incident
- October 3 Incident
- February 20 Incident
- March 7, 2016 Incident
- Christmas Other
- 2023-01-19 Publication
Case subjects
Accused
Charges: participating in or contributing to the murder of Mr Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016; facilitating Mr Byrne's murder, was on the stand for eight days in December and cross-examined for seven of those by Mr Hutch's defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC before the Christmas break; 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
Defendant
Charges: participating in or contributing to the murder of Mr Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016; facilitating Mr Byrne's murder, was on the stand for eight days in December and cross-examined for seven of those by Mr Hutch's defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC before the Christmas break; 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
Accused
Charges: facilitating Mr Byrne's murder, was on the stand for eight days in December and cross-examined for seven of those by Mr Hutch's defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC before the Christmas break; 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: Dowdall – who previously served as an elected Sinn Fein councillor in the north inner city ward in May 2014 and resigned less than one year later – was jailed by the Special Criminal Court for four years for the facilitation offence. Dowdall's father 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.
Defendant
Charges: participating in or contributing to the murder of Mr Byrne by providing access to motor vehicles on February 5, 2016; facilitating Mr Byrne's murder, was on the stand for eight days in December and cross-examined for seven of those by Mr Hutch's defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC before the Christmas break; 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
Places mentioned
- Special Criminal Court
- The Special Criminal Court
- Portmarnock
- Dublin
- Newbrook Avenue
- Cherry Avenue
- Swords
- Navan
- Navan Road
- Crumlin
- Mr Bonney's house
- Newbrook Avenue
- Phoenix Park
- Richmond Road
- Howth Road
- Collins Avenue
- Casino park
- Charlemont Lane
- Malahide Road
- PSNI had called Buncrana Garda Station
- Buncrana
Topics
Related court reports
- Man charged with having 56k child abuse images and videos remanded on bail
- Ex-Dáil hopeful's allegations against former employer 'complete fantasy', WRC told
- Mater must pay €10k to worker who said he was wrongly accused of abusing patient
- 'I think we know I won't be getting bail' - Daniel Kinahan charged with directing criminal organisation
- Letting agent who claimed alleged domestic violence victim abandoned tenancy by fleeing to refuge must pay €14.7k
- 77-year-old with 470 convictions told Luas staff to 'f**k off'
If a fact, identity, locality or legal outcome needs review, email the newsroom with this report's details prefilled.
Email a correction request