A FORMER SINN Féin councillor who is charged with the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel will go on trial alongside three co-accused at the Special Criminal Court next year.

In July at the non-jury court, gardaí served Books of Evidence on four men, including former Sinn Féin councillor Jonathan Dowdall, who are all charged in connection with the murder of Mr Byrne at the hotel in 2016.

Mr Byrne was shot dead at the hotel on the Swords Road in Dublin in February 2016 after five men, three disguised as armed gardaí, stormed the building, which was hosting a boxing weigh-in at the time.

Jonathan Dowdall (43), a former north inner city councillor with an address at Navan Road, Cabra, Dublin 7, is charged with the murder of David Byrne, contrary to Common Law, at the hotel on the Swords Road, Whitehall, Dublin 9, on 5 February 2016.

Patrick Dowdall (64), Jonathan Dowdall’s father, also of the Navan Road, is accused of participating in or contributing to activity intending to or being reckless as to whether such participation or contribution could facilitate the commission of a serious offence by a criminal organisation or any of its members, to wit the murder of David Byrne, by making a room available at the hotel for that criminal organisation or its members, within the State on 4 February 2016.

Co-accused Paul Murphy (59) is charged with supplying logistical support to a six-man team suspected of carrying out the murder.

He is charged with participating in or contributing to activity intending to or being reckless as to whether such participation or contribution could facilitate the commission of a serious offence by a criminal organisation or any of its members, to wit the murder of David Byrne, by providing access to individual motor vehicles to that criminal organisation or its members, within the State on 5 February 2016. 

The fourth man, Jason Bonney (50), of Drumnigh Wood, Portmarnock, Dublin 13, is charged with participating in, or contributing to, activity intending to, or being reckless as to whether such participation or contribution could facilitate the commission of a serious offence by a criminal organisation or any of its members, to wit the murder of David Byrne, by providing access to individual motor vehicles to that criminal organisation or its members, within the State on 5 February 2016. 

Prosecuting barrister Fiona Murphy SC said that there will be an objection to Bonney’s free legal aid application and his case was put in for 7 October 2021 for mention. 

Today Justice Tony Hunt, presiding at the three-judge court, fixed 3 October 2022, for a trial that could last up to 12 weeks and put the matter in for an update on 25 April 2022.