Ex-Sinn Fein councillor to be sentenced for facilitating boxing weigh-in murder

A former Sinn Fein councillor is to be sentenced for facilitating the murder of David Byrne in Dublin.

Jonathan Dowdall has admitted facilitating the murder of Mr Byrne, who was shot dead at the Regency Hotel.

The 34-year-old was killed during a crowded boxing weigh-in in February 2016 in one of the early attacks of the Hutch-Kinahan gangland feud.

Dowdall’s father, Patrick Dowdall, also pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder.

The two men will be sentenced at the non-jury Special Criminal Court in Dublin on Monday.

Mr Byrne’s murder was part of the Hutch-Kinahan gang feud which has claimed at least 18 lives.

Dowdall and his father have agreed to join a witness protection programme and are expected to give evidence in the trial of Gerry “The Monk” Hutch, who is accused of Mr Byrne’s murder.

The court previously heard that Patrick Dowdall booked a room at the hotel the day before the murder and drove his son to pay for it in cash before handing the key over to a member of an organised crime group.

The room was used by Patrick Murray, a dissident republican who was part of the hit team the following day and who has since died.

Hutch, 59, will stand trial on Tuesday for the murder of Mr Byrne.

Paul Murphy, 60, of Cabra Road, and Jason Bonney, 50, of Drumnigh Wood in Portmarnock, are also due to go on trial.