One-time co-accused Jonathan Dowdall is now going to give evidence for the prosecution in the trial of Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch, who denies murdering Kinahan associate, David Byrne, at the Regency Hotel in 2016.
Dowdall’s murder charge was dropped just before the trial got underway. He made his statement one week after his solicitor was told it was going to be dropped.
The former Sinn Féin councillor claims Mr Hutch told him he was involved in the murder. He’ll say he told him in a park in Dublin not long after the shooting.
It is the prosecution’s case that Mr Hutch asked Dowdall to arrange a meeting with his Republican contacts with a view to mediating a ceasefire with the Kinahans.
Mr Hutch denies the charge. His lawyers unsuccessfully challenged Dowdall’s proposed appearance in the witness box so he’s due to take the stand under heavy guard at some stage today.
Copy by our Courts Correspondent Frank Greaney.
