Court cuts sentence for ex-Sinn Féin councillor for false imprisonment and threats to kill
A former Sinn Féin Councillor and his father have had their sentences for false imprisonment and threatening to kill a man reduced.
Jonathan and Patrick Dowdall with an address at Navan Road, Dublin, had previously been sentenced to 12 years and eight years for false imprisonment and threats to kill.
It comes after they were convicted of falsely imprisoning and threatening to kill Alex Hurley – who Jonathan Dowdall believed was trying to scam him.
The former Sinn Féin councillor invited Mr Hurley to his home in January 2015 three days after they had discussed the possible sale of a motorbike.
The Special Criminal Court was shown a video of the pair torturing Mr Hurley and threatening to feed him "to the dogs".
Mr Hurley was tied to a chair and Jonathan Dowdall could be seen waterboarding him on video footage found on a USB stick recovered from his home.
The men were jailed in June 2017.
This morning, Jonathan Dowdall was resentenced to 10 years imprisonment with the final 25 months suspended and Patrick Dowdall to seven with the final three years suspended.
