Jonathan Dowdall faces sentencing over role in facilitating Regency Hotel murder

His father, Patrick Dowdall, is awaiting sentencing for the same offence.

Jonathan Dowdall

Former Sinn Féin councillor Jonathan Dowdall and his father Patrick Dowdall will appear in court this morning to be sentenced for their roles in facilitating the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in Dublin in 2016.

Dowdall, 44, and his father Patrick, 65, admitted they made a hotel room available to a criminal gang involved in Mr Byrne's murder on February 5, 2016.

The killing was one of the early attacks in the Hutch-Kinahan gangland feud, which has claimed at least 18 lives.

Jonathan Dowdall had initially been charged with murder and was due to join Gerry 'the Monk' Hutch in his upcoming trial.

However, the charge against him was dropped when his plea to the lesser charge of facilitating the murder by booking a room at the hotel was accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). 

Patrick Dowdall is awaiting sentencing for the same offence.

At a hearing earlier this month, Jonathan Dowdall's barrister revealed he is in protective custody having given a statement to gardaí which apparently implicates others in what happened at the Regency Hotel. His barrister also said Jonathan Dowdall was willing to testify. 

The initial hearing on October 3 heard that Patrick Dowdall booked a room at the Regency Hotel in his own name the day before the murder. He paid for it in cash and the key card for the room itself was handed over to a member of an organised crime group.

The room was used by Patrick Murray, a dissident republican who was part of the hit team the following day and who has since died.

Both Jonathan Dowdall and his father Patrick remain in protective garda custody.

A major security plan has been put in place at the Criminal Courts of Justice on Parkgate Street for the sentencing later this morning.

Tomorrow, Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch is due to stand trial at the Special Criminal Court over Mr Byrne's murder.