Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 0682Facilitating a criminal organisation, murder · Co. Dublin · 5 Feb 2016

Court of Appeal rejects Regency getaway drivers' bid to reduce sentences

David Byrne, 33, was shot and killed during a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel on the Swords Road, Whitehall, Dublin 9, on 5 February 2016, when gunmen, one dressed in drag and others in fake garda uniforms, stormed the hotel in pursuit of members of the Kinahan organised crime group. Jason Bonney, 55, and Paul Murphy, 64, were convicted at the Special Criminal Court in 2022 of facilitating the Hutch Criminal Organisation in carrying out the murder, while co-accused Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch was acquitted. The Court of Appeal dismissed their bids to overturn their convictions in November 2025 and, on 3 July 2026, rejected their further appeal against their sentences of nine years for Murphy and eight-and-a-half years for Bonney, finding their roles were 'far from peripheral'.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court29 Jun
    4 reports
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • David Byrne, 33, was shot and killed during a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel on 5 February 2016.
  • Gunmen, one dressed in drag and others in fake garda uniforms, stormed the hotel in pursuit of members of the Kinahan organised crime group.
  • Jason Bonney was driving a BMW jeep at St Vincent's car park when Kevin Murray, aka 'Flat Cap', got into his vehicle after the attack.
  • Paul Murphy used his silver Toyota Avensis taxi to pick up one of the gunmen at St Vincent's car park.
  • Kevin Murray died from motor neurone disease in 2017 before he could be brought to trial.
Where
The Regency Hotel is on the Swords Road, Whitehall, Dublin 9.
When
The attack occurred on 5 February 2016.
Charges
  • Bonney and Murphy were charged with facilitating the Hutch Criminal Organisation in carrying out the murder; both pleaded not guilty.
  • Jonathan Dowdall, 47, was originally charged with the murder but the State dropped that charge after he admitted to facilitating the Hutch gang.
In court
  • Bonney and Murphy were tried alongside Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch at the Special Criminal Court in 2022; Hutch was acquitted of the murder while Bonney and Murphy were convicted.
  • Bids to overturn their convictions were dismissed by the Court of Appeal in November 2025.
  • The Court of Appeal rejected Bonney's and Murphy's bid to have their sentences reduced on 3 July 2026, finding their roles were 'far from peripheral'.
Sentence
  • Murphy was jailed for nine years and Bonney received eight-and-a-half years, both from a 10-year headline sentence.
  • Jonathan Dowdall was sentenced to four years' imprisonment on 17 October 2022 for facilitating the Hutch gang, from a headline sentence of eight years.
52 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatDavid Byrne was shot and killed during a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • whatGunmen, one dressed in drag and others in fake garda uniforms, stormed the hotel (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • whatThe gunmen were in pursuit of members of the Kinahan organised crime group (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • whatBonney was driving a BMW jeep at St Vincent's car park when Kevin Murray got into his vehicle (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatKevin Murray died from motor neurone disease in 2017 before he could be brought to trial (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • whatMurphy used his silver Avensis taxi to pick up one of the gunmen at St Vincent's car park (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • whatBonney was 52 at the time of sentence with a completely unblemished criminal record (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • whatBonney was driving a BMW jeep at St Vincent's car park when Kevin Murray got into his vehicle after the attack. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatByrne was shot and killed during a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel on 5 February 2016. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatGunmen, one dressed in drag and others in fake Garda uniforms, stormed the hotel in pursuit of Kinahan cartel members. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatMurphy used his silver Toyota Avensis taxi to pick up one of the gunmen at the car park. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatDavid Byrne, 33, was shot and killed during a boxing weigh-in at the Regency Hotel on the Swords Road, Whitehall, Dublin 9 on 5 February 2016. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatGunmen, one dressed in drag and others in fake garda uniforms, stormed the hotel in pursuit of members of the Kinahan organised crime group. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatKevin Murray aka 'Flat Cap' got into Bonney's BMW jeep at St Vincent's car park after the attack. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe Regency Hotel is on the Swords Road, Whitehall, Dublin 9 (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • whereMurphy is of Cherry Avenue, Swords, Co Dublin (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereBonney is of Drumnigh Wood, Portmarnock, Dublin 13 (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe attack occurred on 5 February 2016 (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe murder occurred on 5 February 2016. (dublinlive.ie)
  • chargeBoth Bonney and Murphy had pleaded not guilty. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeJonathan Dowdall, 47, was originally charged with the murder of David Byrne but the State dropped that charge after he admitted to facilitating the Hutch gang. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtBonney and Murphy were tried alongside Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch at the Special Criminal Court in 2022 (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • courtHutch was acquitted of the murder of David Byrne (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • courtBonney and Murphy were convicted of facilitating the Hutch Criminal Organisation in carrying out the murder (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • courtBoth had pleaded not guilty (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtBids to overturn their convictions were dismissed by the Court of Appeal in November (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtBoth men had pleaded not guilty. (dublinlive.ie)
  • courtBids by both men to overturn their convictions were dismissed by the Court of Appeal in November. (dublinlive.ie)
  • courtMr Justice John Edwards said prosocial contributions only take a person so far and can only result in a modest discount. (dublinlive.ie)
  • courtBoth men pleaded not guilty. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtBonney and Murphy appealed after the Court of Appeal rejected their attempts to overturn convictions the previous November. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe offences were aggravated by the fact a murder occurred regardless of whether they knew in advance. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe Court of Appeal had previously rejected their attempts to have convictions overturned in November 2025. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe Special Criminal Court made no error in setting 10-year headline sentences for both men. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtGerard 'The Monk' Hutch was acquitted of the murder of David Byrne at the Special Criminal Court in 2022. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceMurphy was jailed for nine years for facilitating the shooting (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • sentenceBonney received eight-and-a-half years for the same offence (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • sentenceThe headline term of ten years set by the sentencing court was argued to be excessive (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • sentenceJonathan Dowdall received a headline sentence of eight years (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceJonathan Dowdall received a headline sentence of eight years for facilitating the murder. (dublinlive.ie)
  • sentenceMurphy was jailed for nine years for facilitating the shooting by acting as a getaway driver. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceBonney received an 8½ year sentence for the same offence. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceDowdall was sentenced to four years in 2022. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentencePaul Murphy of Cherry Avenue, Swords, was jailed for nine years for facilitating the shooting by acting as a getaway driver. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceJason Bonney of Drumnigh Wood, Portmarnock, Dublin 13 received eight-and-a-half years for the same offence. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceBonney received a discount of 18 months from the headline sentence. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceMurphy, who had 67 previous convictions, received a discount of one year. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceJonathan Dowdall was sentenced to four years' imprisonment on 17 October 2022 for facilitating the Hutch gang in the murder of Byrne. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherMurphy was not on the garda radar at all. (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherMurray died from motor neuron disease in 2017 before he could be brought to trial. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe Hutch criminal organisation is notoriously involved in a long-running feud with the rival Kinahan criminal organisation. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe Hutch criminal organisation is described as operating at a high level of criminality and involved in a long-running feud with the Kinahan criminal organisation. (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 3 Jul2026
    In courtirishmirror.ie, follow-up
    Court rejects Regency getaway drivers' bid to have sentences reduced

    Reports the Court of Appeal's decision on 3 July 2026 rejecting Bonney's and Murphy's appeals against their sentences, confirming the 10-year headline sentences set by the Special Criminal Court. Also details the background of the Regency Hotel attack, the acquittal of Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch, and the separate sentencing of Jonathan Dowdall.

    victim, David Byrne, 33, male, irish (judged from name)David Byrneconvicted, Jason Bonney, 55, male, named, irish (judged from name)Jason Bonneyconvicted, Paul Murphy, 64, male, named, irish (judged from name)Paul Murphyaccused, Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch, male, named, irish (judged from name)Gerard 'The Monk' Hutchconvicted, Jonathan Dowdall, 47, male, named, irish (judged from name)Jonathan Dowdall
  2. 3 Jul2026
    In courtirishtimes.com, follow-up
    Regency Hotel attack getaway drivers fail in bid to have prison sentences reduced

    Provides full details of the Court of Appeal's reasoning, including the specific vehicles used (Bonney's BMW SUV and Murphy's silver Toyota Avensis taxi), the role of Kevin 'Flat Cap' Murray who died of motor neuron disease in 2017, the convoy of four other cars to St Vincent's GAA club, and Jonathan Dowdall's reduced charge and four-year sentence.

    victim, David Byrne, 33, male, irish (judged from name)David Byrneconvicted, Jason Bonney, 55, male, named, irish (judged from name)Jason Bonneyconvicted, Paul Murphy, 64, male, named, irish (judged from name)Paul Murphysuspect, male, irish (judged from name)suspect, male, irish (judged from name)convicted, Jonathan Dowdall, 47, male, named, irish (judged from name)Jonathan Dowdall
  3. 29 Jun2026
    In courtdublinlive.ie, follow-up
    Regency Hotel attack getaway drivers claim their prison sentences are too high

    Reports the Court of Appeal sentencing appeal hearing where Bonney and Murphy argued their sentences were too high; Mr Justice Edwards reserved judgment for 3 July 2026.

    victim, David Byrne, 33, male, irish (judged from name)David Byrneconvicted, Jason Bonney, 55, male, named, irish (judged from name)Jason Bonneyconvicted, Paul Murphy, 64, male, named, irish (judged from name)Paul Murphysuspect, Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch, male, named, irish (judged from name)Gerard 'The Monk' Hutchconvicted, Jonathan Dowdall, 47, male, named, irish (judged from name)Jonathan Dowdallsuspect, Kevin Murray, male, named, irish (judged from name)Kevin Murray
  4. 29 Jun2026
    In courtirishmirror.ie, follow-up
    Regency Hotel attack getaway drivers claim their prison sentences are too high

    Reports the Court of Appeal sentencing appeal hearing on 29 June 2026, including arguments by both appellants' counsel and the State, and the judge's preliminary remarks before the 3 July judgment.

    victim, David Byrne, 33, male, irish (judged from name)David Byrneaccused, Jason Bonney, 55, male, named, irish (judged from name)Jason Bonneyaccused, Paul Murphy, 64, male, named, irish (judged from name)Paul Murphyaccused, Gerard 'The Monk' Hutch, male, named, irish (judged from name)Gerard 'The Monk' Hutchaccused, Jonathan Dowdall, 47, male, named, irish (judged from name)Jonathan Dowdall