Jonathan Dowdall: Ex-Sinn Féin councillor jailed for facilitating murder

A erstwhile Sinn Féin councillor has been jailed for 4 years aft admitting to facilitating a murder

David Byrne, 33, was changeable dormant astatine the Regency Airport Hotel successful Dublin during a boxing weigh-in successful 2016.

Former councillor Jonathan Dowdall and his begetter Patrick Dowdall some pleaded blameworthy to facilitating Mr Byrne's murder.

Patrick Dowdall has been sentenced to 2 years successful situation for his relation successful the crime.

Jonathan Dowdall has agreed to instrumentality portion successful the Irish witnesser extortion programme successful bid to springiness grounds successful the proceedings of Gerry Hutch.

The presiding justice Tony Hunt said during sentencing that Jonathan Dowdall was not a antheral of erstwhile bully quality but accepted that his beingness and that of his household volition beryllium upended and go much unsafe due to the fact that of his determination to springiness grounds successful the Hutch trial.

Jonathan paid for the country successful currency astatine the edifice earlier handing the cardinal implicit to a subordinate of an organised transgression group.

The country was utilized by Patrick Murray, a dissident enactment who was portion of the deed squad the pursuing time and who has since died.

The pursuing month, Jonathan Dowdall met different antheral and travelled to Northern Ireland.

The tribunal heard his conveyance was nether surveillance and the conversations betwixt the 2 men were recorded.

Jonathan Dowdall had been owed to spell connected proceedings on with Gerry Hutch, who is owed to basal proceedings connected Tuesday for the execution of Mr Byrne.

They some pleaded guilty.

The Court of Appeal aboriginal reduced Jonathan Dowdall's condemnation to 10 years successful jailhouse with the last 25 months suspended.

Patrick Dowdall's condemnation was reduced to 7 years successful prison, with the last 3 years suspended.