The Regency Hotel murder trial has heard there’s nothing to support Jonathan Dowdall’s claim that he met Gerry Hutch in a park on the morning of either the 7th of February 2016, or the following morning.
In his evidence last month, the former Sinn Féin Councillor claimed Mr Hutch told him he murdered David Byrne during this alleged meeting.
Jonathan Dowdall initially claimed Gerry Hutch confessed to David Byrne’s murder during a meeting with him in a park in Dublin on the morning of Monday, the 8th of February 2016 – three days after the Regency Hotel attack.
However, he later said he wasn’t sure if it was then or the Sunday morning.
Mr Hutch’s barrister believes he’s lying about this meeting and the alleged confession.
Following an analysis of Dowdall’s phone records, a data analyst concluded there was no opportunity to have met in the park on the Monday because his phone was pinging off a mast near his home on the Navan Rd until noon that day, before it was recorded pinging off masts along the M1 in the direction of Dundalk.
Sarah Skedd also confirmed today that the records didn’t support Dowdall’s claim that the meeting took place the morning before. But, she said it did ping off a mast near the park that afternoon – at 3.16pm.
