Dowdall told gardaí he felt under threat from Hutch and Kinahan gangs, murder trial hears

Hutch's defence team is challenging admissibility of evidence to be given by former SF councillor

Armed police on duty outside the Special Criminal Court in Dublin for the trial of Gerry 'The Monk' Hutch for the murder of David Byrne at a hotel in Dublin in 2016. 

Former Sinn Féin councillor Jonathan Dowdall told gardaí that he felt under threat from "the Hutchs and that organisation" and that he also felt in fear of "the Kinahans" as he was charged with the murder of cartel member David Byrne, the Special Criminal Court has heard.

Defence lawyer Brendan Grehan SC is challenging the admissibility of evidence to be given by Dowdall, who was a former co-accused of Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch but has turned State's witness. Dowdall has already been sentenced by the non-jury court for the lesser offence of facilitating the murder.