Adam Murphy jailed after car theft led to Ian McDonnell’s death

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Adam Murphy was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment, with the final two and a half years suspended on strict conditions, at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 12 February 2024. Judge Dara Hayes also disqualified him from driving for 12 years.

His co-accused, Keith McCormick Smith, was sentenced to three years and two months, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions. He was disqualified from driving for seven years.

Murphy pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Ian McDonnell on 23 January 2022. Both men pleaded guilty to two counts of attempting to take a vehicle, three counts of stealing vehicles, one count of attempting to steal property from a vehicle and one count of stealing a push bike at locations across Dublin on that date.

McCormick Smith also pleaded guilty to possessing a stolen car key at his address on 8 February 2022. He was not charged with manslaughter.

The court heard that Murphy stole McDonnell’s car outside his business on Robinhood Road and drove away with him on the bonnet. McDonnell was thrown onto the road and died at Tallaght Hospital on 28 January 2022. Murphy told gardaí that if he had seen McDonnell on the bonnet, he would have stopped.

Judge Hayes said the men left McDonnell dying on the road as they fled to continue their theft spree. He cited their early guilty pleas and remorse among the mitigating factors. The proceedings were reported on 12 February 2024.

This report covers an earlier stage of the case. Later developments are not reported here.