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Gardaí to probe Jonathan Dowdall witness statement leak –Minister
27th October 2022
A Government Minister has said that she believes gardaí will probe the leaking of Jonathan Dowdall’s witness statement online.
Five pages were placed on the internet from the statement, which relates to the current murder trial of Gerry Hutch and others for the Regency Hotel attack that led to the death of David Byrne.
“First of all, this is a matter for the gardaí to decide what they do about this issue,” Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys said.
“I’m very conscious that there is a very high-profile court case going on at the minute. So I obviously wouldn’t say anything that would in any way compromise that.
“But I have no doubt that the gardaí will certainly follow up on this and will investigate it.”
She agreed the publication was a potential contempt of court at the least, as occurred with the publication online of a boy’s image in the Ana Kriegel murder case. In that instance, gardaí were able to identify persons who had put the material on the web, and those who had re-distributed it.
“I’ve no doubt they will do that,” the Minister said.
Meanwhile, on a controversial visit by veteran Fianna Fáil TD Éamon Ó Cuiv to Jonathan Dowdall behind bars, Ms Humphreys commented: “I do know that he does visit Republican prisoners. It is something he has been doing for many, many years. And indeed, I’ve spoken to him about it in the past.
“He does this to help to rehabilitate them, and to try to understand them, and I think it does certainly come from a very good place in terms of what the man is trying to do. And he has said very clearly that he didn’t realise that this particular person was involved with criminals.”
She was happy to accept his explanation, she added.
Who Watches the Watchers? 