Former councillor who ’water boarded’ man in home granted special hearing

A former Sinn Féin Councillor who water boarded a man he believed was trying to defraud him has been granted a special hearing over disputed evidence.

A former Sinn Féin Councillor who water boarded a man he believed was trying to defraud him has been granted a special hearing over disputed evidence.

Jonathan Dowdall was due to be sentenced earlier this month but it was postponed after the court heard he didn’t accept many of his victim’s claims.

Jonathan Dowdall has admitted falsely imprisoning and threatening to kill Alex Hurley at his home on the Navan Road in Dublin in January 2015 because he suspected he was being conned over the sale of a motorbike.

The court was shown a video of him placing a tea towel over Mr. Hurley before pouring two buckets of water over him.

His 60-year-old father Patrick pleaded guilty to the same charges.

The Dowdalls were due to be sentenced earlier this month but the court has now agreed to hold a Newton hearing on the defence’s application.

The mini-trial is used in circumstances where there has been a plea but certain relevant facts are disputed and it’s left to a judge to decide who’s telling the truth.

The main points of difference for the court to rule on are whether Mr. Hurley was effectively lured to the house that night, the duration of the ordeal, a claim he was told Jonathan Dowdall was the head of the IRA and an alleged threat to his family.

The hearing is due to take place tomorrow.