State witness Jonathan Dowdall has been played a tape of him telling gardai that Gerry Hutch would “never” tell him about the Regency Hotel murder.
The tape, in which Dowdall is being interviewed by gardai in May of 2016, was played to the witness on what is his third day being cross-examined by Brendan Grehan SC, defending for Mr Hutch.
Hutch (59) has plead not guilty to the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel, and is on trial alongside Paul Murphy and Jason Bonney, who are accused of helping a crime gang to carry out the crime by providing vehicles.
FOLLOW LIVE: Cross-examination of Jonathan Dowdall continues at Gerry Hutch trial
In the tape, which was played just before a lunch break this afternoon, Dowdall was being quizzed by gardai as he was on his way to the airport - to travel to Dubai - three months after the Regency incident.
Mr Dowdall was asked by gardai about his relationship with Gerry Hutch after he disclosed to them that the accused had last called to house a number of weeks ago.
This alleged meeting between the pair happened after Dowdall’s home was raided on March 9, 2016, he said.
Dowdall said that Gerard “is a friend” and that the pair discussed the newspaper coverage.
However when pressed by officers he said that Hutch wasn’t a close friend, and that he was closer with his brother Patsy.
He said that he was a former councillor and was “respected” in the community, and therefore people like Hutch came to speak to him - perhaps he said because he wasn’t “outside of a circle if you like.”
Gardai then zoned in on the Regency Hotel attack on February 5 - and asked Dowdall if Hutch ever discussed it with him.
An officer specifically asked Dowdall “did he ever speak to you about the murder?”
Dowdall is heard responding on the video:
“No he never spoke to me about it. He never spoke to me in any way in regards to the Regency.”
Asked by gardai if Gerry Hutch would ever discuss it with him, he responded: “No.”
Dowdall went on to say that “Gerard wasn’t the kind of person” that if some young lad came asking him about getting involved about crime - “He was the wrong fella to say it to.”
“He wouldn’t discuss anything like that and no more would I want to talk about something that would maybe jeprodise me,” Dowdall told gardai.
He said that Hutch did discuss with him “the fear” he was going through, adding that he was “a normal man like everyone else.
He said Hutch’s brother was only after dying and “everyone else was dying around him.”
He said his understanding at that point was that there was “a falling out with Gary,” and that he was murdered.
Dowdall told gardai that it was “terrible” but “that’s the end that it comes to,” and said those involved in that world “know the risks involved.”
Asked again by a garda “would he ever discuss it with you,” Dowdall said:
“Sure why would he? I’m not a criminal.”
Mr Grehan is expected to cross-examine Dowdall on these claims later this afternoon.
Earlier in the day Mr Grehan SC was challenging Dowdall on various aspects of his helping his father book a hotel room for Kevin ‘Flat Cap’ Murray - and tried to find out why the witness plead guilty to facilitating a murder.
He said he wanted to find this out because the witness was claiming that he unknowingly booked a hotel room - and that this wasn’t an offence.
Dowdall responded by saying that he was “reckless” and that he should have asked questions and known what he was doing - and therefore he pleaded guilty.
“I had a hand in booking the room. I didn’t know what it was going to be used for,” Dowdall said.
“I am guilty and I’m responsible for that,” he added.
Later in the exchange things became heated when Dowdall said to Mr Grehan that he thinks he was “doing your utmost to destroy me in every way possible you can.”
He said that the senior counsel defending for Hutch was bringing up all sorts of “insinuations” and “accusations,” - “even going so far as embarrassing me over medical issues.”
Mr Grehan responded by saying that Mr Dowdall had brought up matters private to him of his own volition.
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