State witness Jonathan Dowdall fears he could end up in a wheelchair due to his health issues.
The former Sinn Fein councillor, who is currently being assessed for witness protection, has ongoing spinal and mobility issues. The Special Criminal Court, where Dowdall gave evidence last month against Gerry “The Monk” Hutch in his trial for the alleged murder of David Byrne, has been told of his need for medication.
On one occasion he expressed concern about coming to the trial due to being in pain. The court also heard how he was once rushed to hospital from prison due to the same health issue.
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Dowdall is already considered to be an extremely high-risk prisoner whose life is under threat – making his application for protection and a new identity more complicated. But sources say the added difficulty of Dowdall’s health problems means authorities need to consider a location suitable for his needs and for potential care.
One source said: “Wherever he goes he will need those health concerns addressed. That makes it even more difficult to find the right place for him while still taking into account his identity is protected and he is safe.”
Dowdall is currently serving a four-year term for his role in facilitating the murder of Byrne in Dublin’s Regency Hotel on February 5, 2016.
He is appealing the severity of that sentence.
However, sources said if he is deemed suitable for the witness protection programme, it is possible he may be granted temporary release sooner than expected.
Dowdall began giving evidence in the trial on December 12, 2022, and completed his testimony nine days later.
While on the stand, he referred to the threat to his life. He told defence counsel Brendan Grehan: “I don’t care if I’m killed. Nobody will touch my children.”
After what was at times feisty exchanges, an animated Dowdall insisted he was telling the truth.
He told the court: “I’m not a rat,” and repeated his evidence was “nothing to do with me getting a murder charge dropped”.
The witness insisted Hutch “was the one who got the cards,” referring to the hotel key cards from the Regency that he claimed were handed to the accused the day before the attack.
He added, “I met Gerard in the park,” in reference to his key claim he met the accused in a park in Whitehall after the gun attack and he confessed to him.
Dowdall insisted that was the “Gospel honest truth”. He also stunned the courtroom when he said: “I’m sorry for what happened to David Byrne and that family.
“And I’m sorry for what I said to offend that family. But I wasn’t involved in that murder.”
He then went on to explain why he agreed to help Hutch’s brother Patsy to try and end the feud in January 2016 saying he “trusted” him as they had built up a rapport over the years.
He then said Patsy Hutch, who is not before the courts, “was involved in it” and added “if down the road I’m required to come into this court and give evidence against Patsy in the same way that I’ve given evidence against Gerard, I will do that.”
Those comments came after a bombshell claim by Dowdall that Hutch was “willing to throw his own brother under the bus”.
He said this after the defence put it to him that throughout his entire account it was “Patsy, Patsy, Patsy,” and he only later inserted Gerry Hutch into the narrative when it was convenient when he wanted the murder charge dropped.
In response, Dowdall said the “Hutches are willing to throw someone else under the bus”. He added: “Your client is willing to throw his own brother under the bus.”
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