Man who pretended to be journalist to extort money from elderly sex offender avoids jail

A man has received a suspended prison sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for extortion offences committed against an elderly victim in Foxrock, Dublin on October 28, 2014. John Murphy, aged 31, of New Ross, County Wexford, pleaded guilty to theft. He and an associate posed as journalists, threatening to publish the victim's photograph in national and local newspapers unless €10,000 was paid. The victim…