Former Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall has said he told a “lie out of necessity” during Garda interviews in 2016 on what he knew about the Regency shooting.
A video of gardai interviewing Mr Dowdall in May 2016 was played in the trial of Gerard “The Monk” Hutch over the murder of David Byrne.
Mr Byrne was killed during a crowded boxing weigh-in event on February 5, 2016, in one of the first deadly attacks of the Hutch-Kinahan gangland feud.
Hutch, from the Paddocks, Clontarf, has denied the charge of murder.
Dowdall, who was to stand trial for murder, is serving a four-year prison sentence after he pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder of Mr Byrne.
On his fourth day of giving evidence at the Special Criminal Court, a tense cross-examination was conducted by senior counsel for the defence, Brendan Grehan, of key state witness Dowdall.
I wouldn't say I was ever a trusted friend (of Gerard Hutch). I've no relationship with Gerard. I didn't drink with Gerard— Jonathan Dowdall
Before playing the tapes, recorded on May 18, 2016, Mr Grehan told the court they portrayed Dowdall as “a very indignant, convincing person”, but told the court he was telling lies.
Mr Grehan put it to Mr Dowdall that he was “very convincing”, to which Mr Dowdall replied “suggest what you want Mr Grehan”.
“One way or another, I was always going to tell the truth about this situation.”
Mr Dowdall would later tell Mr Grehan: “From the day I stepped into here you’ve called me a liar.”
In the Garda interview tapes, Dowdall is heard defending Hutch as “a quiet man” who is respected in his community, adding that he was not a close friend of Hutch.
“To be honest, I like the man. I respect him.
“I wouldn’t say I was ever a trusted friend (of Gerard Hutch). I’ve no relationship with Gerard. I didn’t drink with Gerard.”
On the Garda interview video, when asked whether Hutch had discussed the Regency shooting, firearms or transport with Dowdall, he said he had not.
When asked whether Hutch would discuss it with him, he told gardai he would not.
“Why would he? I’m not a criminal,” he responded.
Later in the tapes, Dowdall tells gardai of Hutch: “I’ve never been involved in his circle, and never have been in my life.
“He (Gerry Hutch) never said anything to me about being involved in it (the Regency). And if he was involved in it, I don’t think he’d be so stupid as to tell me, you know, let’s be honest.”
When asked about times he had met Hutch, Dowdall said he would have been to his home “two or three times before” the Regency shooting for a fundraiser for Sinn Fein.
He added that no politician would admit to that, and mentioned “Mary Lou”.
He later said Mr Hutch was at his home “well before the Regency to discuss the club” and then “once or twice” after that.
Dowdall was seen wearing a sky blue hoodie and sitting in a small room in the presence of two gardai and his solicitor during the tapes.
When being cross-examined about the evidence he gave to gardai, Dowdall told the court that he “didn’t know the background” at that time, and was not aware the booked room had been involved in the murder.
He told the court that Gerard Hutch’s brother Patsy Hutch, who Dowdall repeatedly described as a friend, had told him he had “nothing to do with the Regency murder”.
When asked about his statements to gardai that Gerard Hutch was a good man, Dowdall said: “A good man and his brother would not do that to a person that they’ve known for years, (to ask him) to book a room (to be used in a murder). Who does that?”
Responding to his statement to gardai that Hutch was quiet, and that he was not close to him, Dowdall said Hutch had turned to him for help in the wake of the Regency shooting as things had gone “wrong”.
“He had planned to go in and kill Daniel Kinahan and blame the IRA,” he said.
When asked about whether he had lied to gardai, Dowdall told the court: “It was a lie out of necessity, my family would have been killed if I said I knew who was involved in the Regency.
“That’s why I’m in the mess I’m in, because I didn’t answer the questions.
“Because I didn’t say things that I should have said, I was charged with murder.”
He later added that there were “massive consequences if I told the guards that I couldn’t afford to take”.
Towards the end of Thursday’s evidence, Dowdall told the court: “You learn a lot of things over six years.”
Earlier on Thursday, Mr Grehan repeatedly questioned why Dowdall had pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder if he had no knowledge of what the hotel room would be used for.
This refers to Dowdall and his father Patrick booking a room in the Regency Hotel that was used by a man, alleged to have been one of the gunmen, the night before the fatal attack.
Mr Dowdall said he and his father had been “reckless” in not asking what the room would be used for.
“I had a hand in booking a room, I didn’t know what it was going to be used for. But by booking a room I am guilty and responsible (for facilitating the murder),” he told the court.
“The whole thing was reckless,” he said. “If someone asks a favour, I don’t ask questions.
“I would never do it again, I should have questioned I should have done that, my father should have done that, we were reckless.”
In response to Dowdall’s assertion that the defence was “picking and choosing” lines, Mr Grehan asked if Dowdall believed he was being unfair.
Dowdall said: “I think you’re doing your utmost best to destroy me in any way you can.”
The court heard that Dowdall is due to be cross-examined until Tuesday next week and that earlier sittings could be needed to ensure it does not continue beyond Wednesday.
Two other men, Paul Murphy, 59, of Cabra Road, Swords, and Jason Bonney, 50, of Drumnigh Wood in Portmarnock, also pleaded not guilty to lesser charges related to the murder.
The three defendants sat beside each other in the dock, with Mr Hutch seen using a hearing aid.
