Dean Howe jailed six years for murder conspiracy

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Dean Howe was sentenced to six years and six months in prison, with the final six months suspended, at the Special Criminal Court on 3 March 2020. Mr Justice Tony Hunt sentenced him for conspiring with others to murder Dubliner Gary Hanley at a location within the State between 15 September and 6 November 2017.

Howe pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge.

Howe carried out surveillance on Hanley, supervised the use of several cars by himself and his co-conspirators, collected fuel and gave instructions to getaway driver Joseph Kelly. The judge said Howe was actively and frequently involved in a supervisory role, but was not at the top of the organisation.

The judge reduced an eight-year-and-six-month headline sentence to six years and six months, taking account of Howe’s early guilty plea and his low-level previous convictions. He suspended the final six months because of Howe’s engagement in prison.