According to Sunday World sources, Patrick Dowdall, a convicted criminal who was recently released from prison, was accepted into the Witness Security Programme along with his son Jonathan Dowdall. Jonathan Dowdall had served as a state witness in the trial of Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch, who was later acquitted of a killing. Patrick Dowdall was released after completing his sentence, while his son is still serving a four-year sentence for the same offence. The Dowdalls had both pleaded guilty to facilitating a criminal organisation by booking a hotel room for the gang responsible for the shooting in the Regency Hotel. Though speculation had arisen about the Dowdalls leaving prison together, only Patrick Dowdall was released. The Witness Security Programme is a secretive organization run by the Gardaí and is likely to see foreign protected witnesses starting a new life in Ireland.
