Ex-SF councillor and father charged with intent to kidnap

A former Sinn Féin councillor and his father have been charged at the Special Criminal Court with intent to commit false imprisonment.

Jonathan Dowdall (39), with an address at Navan Road, Dublin 7 and Patrick Dowdall (59), of the same address, are both charged with possessing a firearm or imitation firearm, which appeared to be a sawn-off shotgun and a handgun, with the intent to falsely imprison Alexander Hurley, at Navan Road, on January 15th, 2015.

Det Garda Colm Finnerty, of the Special Detective Unit, told State Solicitor Michael O'Donovan that before the court sat on Tuesday he met both men, showed them the charge sheets and cautioned them.

The men made no reply, the court heard.

In May, both men were charged with possession of “what appeared to be a sawn off shotgun and a .44 calibre magnum revolver” with the intent to commit the false imprisonment of one Alexander Hurley at their home address on January 15th, 2015.

The DPP was withdrawing those charges and replacing them with the fresh charges, Mr O’Donovan told the court.

Mr Justice Paul Butler, presiding with Judge Alison Lindsay and Judge Flann Brennan, remanded both men in custody until July 22nd, when their case is listed for mention again.