Former SF councillor charged with murder of Kinahan associate in Regency Hotel shooting
A FORMER Sinn Féin councillor has been charged at the Special Criminal Court with the murder of Kinahan associate David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in north Dublin.
Mr Byrne was shot dead at the hotel on the Swords Road after five men, three disguised as armed gardaí, stormed the building in February 2016.
Jonathan Dowdall, 43, a former north inner city Dublin councillor with an address at Navan Road, Cabra, Dublin, appeared at a brief hearing yesterday morning at which the registrar read the single charge to him.
Mr Dowdall is charged with the murder of Mr Byrne, contrary to common law, at the Regency Hotel in Whitehall, Dublin 9, on February 5, 2016.
Mr Dowdall appeared at the hearing after meeting with detectives in the body of the court yesterday morning, where he was
Did not speak during the hearing
charged with the non-scheduled offence of murder.
State solicitor Ciara Vibien told the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Claire Loftus, had instructed that Mr Dowdall be tried at the Special Criminal Court.
Ms Vibien said that a body warrant had been issued by the Special Criminal Court for Mr Dowdall on Friday and that he was appearing in court on foot of that warrant.
The non-jury Special Criminal Court is chosen if the DPP believes the ordinary courts are inadequate to secure the administration of justice and the preservation of public peace.
Detective Garda Paul Darley of Ballymun Garda Station gave evidence to the court that he had met Mr Dowdall at 10.35am yesterday morning, and that he handed Mr Dowdall a true copy of the charge.
Presiding judge Tony Hunt, sitting with Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge David McHugh, remanded Mr Dowdall in custody yesterday to June 14 for service of the book of evidence.
Mr Dowdall is represented by solicitor Jenny McGeever.
Wearing a silver jacket, the accused stood when the charge was read to him and did not speak during the hearing.
Mr Dowdall’s father, Patrick Dowdall, is already before the court alongside two co-accused charged with involvement in the murder.
Patrick Dowdall, 64, with an address at Navan Road, Cabra, is accused of 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 Mr Byrne, by making a room available at the Regency Hotel for that criminal organisation or its members, on February 4, 2016.
Co-accused Paul Murphy, 59, also with an address at Navan Road, Cabra, is charged with supplying logistical support to a six-man team suspected of carrying out the murder on February 5, 2016.
He is charged with 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 Mr Byrne, by providing access to individual motor vehicles to that criminal organisation or its members, within the State on February 5, 2016.
Finally, Jason Bonney, 50, of Drumnigh Wood, Portmarnock, Dublin 13, is charged with 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 Mr Byrne, by providing access to individual motor vehicles to that criminal organisation or its members, within the State on February 5, 2016.
All four cases are due before the three-judge court on June 14 for service of the books of evidence.
Before the court again on June 14