DOWD AND OUT | Jonathan Dowdall allowed out of prison under tight security for hospital trip

DOWD AND OUT | 

Jonathan Dowdall allowed out of prison under tight security for hospital trip

The former Sinn Fein city councillor is known to have a number of health issues, telling the Special Criminal Court he had been on medication at certain times.

Yesterday at 15:10

Disgraced State-witness Jonathan Dowdall spent a day outside prison this week after being allowed to attend a hospital appointment under escort.

He was taken from the protective wing at Limerick Prison to an undisclosed hospital amid tight security, according to Sunday World sources.

The former Sinn Fein city councillor is known to have a number of health issues, telling the Special Criminal Court he had been on medication at certain times.

It previously emerged how Dowdall fears his health has been deteriorating is worried spinal issues could leave him needing to use a wheelchair.

He also made complaints about access to medication and exercise before he took the stand in Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch’s trial for the murder of David Byrne last December.

It was heard during The Monk’s trial Dowdall had initially been unwilling appear in court complaining about his health problems.

He said in court that he had actually attended the trial despite being in pain and travelling two and a half hours from Limerick Prison.

Since his father Patrick’s release last April, Dowdall has been on his own at Limerick Prison where he is currently serving a four-year sentence.

His appeal against the severity of that sentence for his part in the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in 2016, is due for hearing this week.

Both Jonathan and Patrick were jailed for facilitating a criminal gang by organising at room at the Regency Hotel in 2016 which was used by a gunman in the attack on the Kinahan Cartel leadership.

During his time on the stand Jonathan Dowdall explained some of his actions as a result of being on medication at the time.

He said his claim to The Monk to have knowledge of bomb-making was down to medication as was his decision to go on RTE’s Liveline after gardai raided his Cabra home.

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Dowdall’s case is due back in court on Tuesday at the Court of Appeal where remote links are still being used in cases.

Dowdall is not expected to attend in person at the hearing which will focus on legal arguments rather than the hearing of evidence.

The facilitating charge to which Dowdall had pleaded guilty can attract a sentence of up to 15 years which could open the possibility of his sentence actually being increased.

Last April it emerged last week both Dowdall and his father had been accepted into the Witness Security Programme after Jonathan gave evidence at The Monk’s trial.

Patrick Dowdall got two years last October at the Special Criminal Court but time already served was taken into account and the sentence back-dated and has since been released.

Dowdall Jr, who got a stiffer sentence was not given any credit for time served.

Both Dowdalls had been held in an isolation unit in Limerick Prison and only mixed with each other when allowed out of the cells.

Jonathan has since been completely isolated from any other inmate in the prison following his father’s release.

During The Monk’s trial, Dowdall Junior was taken to court under heavy armed escort while his father was not called by the prosecution to testify.

Ms Justice Tara Burns delivered the judges’ damning verdict on Dowdall’s account of The Monk’s involvement in David Byrne’s murder.

She said the court had to take his truthfulness about Gerard Hutch with “scepticism and extreme care”.

Dowdall had acted out of “his own self-interest” and that it could not have been said he had found God or decided to the right thing.

The legal wrangles over the trial are still continuing with The Monk just last week losing his court bid to recoup his legal costs from the trial.

Last week his lawyers applied for costs from the 52-day trial that ended with his acquittal for the murder of David Byrne.

The Special Criminal Court refused the application despite arguments there was “no strong, valid grounds” for denying him his “substantial” defence costs after he was acquitted and “vindicated”.

The State said his prosecution had been “absolutely warranted” and the not guilty verdict “did not amount to an approbation of him or his conduct”.

Ms Justice Tara Burns said although found not guilty, he was “involved in serious criminal conduct underlying the charge against him” and he was the “patriarchal figure” in the Hutch gang.