The prosecution in Gerry Hutch’s murder trial has urged the court to allow Jonathan Dowdall to give evidence because they say everything is “above board.”
Mr Hutch’s barrister is opposing his evidence because he claims it’s part of a quid pro quo arrangement that led to Dowdall’s murder charge being dropped.
Gerry Hutch is on trial for the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel.
Jonathan Dowdall, a former Sinn Fein councillor, was supposed to stand trial too but his murder charge was dropped after he pleaded guilty to a less serious offence.
Mr Hutch’s barrister, Brendan Grehan SC, claims his proposed evidence is “not a sincere and honest effort” by someone coming forward with information.
He has raised concerns about the process that led to the murder charge being dropped and wants to know if he has been accepted into the Witness Protection Programme. He said they’ve received no information in relation to this and don’t know what the situation is in terms of what he’s getting or has been promised.
The prosecuting barrister, Sean Gillane SC, is going to look into that but said everything was above board and said the suggestion that something wrong was being done is “not fair and not right.”
The judges will rule tomorrow on whether the court should hear Jonathan Dowdall’s testimony.
Reporting by Frank Greaney
