Hutch trial hears Dowdall asked garda "is there any way out?" days after arrest

The court heard that Jonathan Dowdall's assessment for witness protection was "ongoing"

The Special Criminal Court has already heard that the status of the Witness Protection Programme (WPP) application for former Sinn Féin councillor Jonathan Dowdall (pictured) remains unknown. File picture: Elizabeth Cook

Ex-Sinn Féin councillor Jonathan Dowdall, a former co-accused of Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch who has turned State's witness, asked a garda "is there any way out?" and "if him and his family could get into the Witness Protection Programme" in the days following his arrest, the Regency Hotel murder trial has heard.

The Special Criminal Court has already heard that the status of Dowdall's Witness Protection Programme (WPP) application remains unknown and that a decision will not be made until the middle of this month. Before Dowdall took the stand on December 12, a Detective Superintendent from the WPP, testified that the key witness's assessment for the WPP was "ongoing" and was "completely independent" from the evidence he gave to the court.