Courts / Dublin / Report
Jail for father who held up shop to pay son's drug debt
Summary
David Murphy, 39, of Carlow, was jailed for four years after he held up a Centra shop in Dublin to pay his 21‑year‑old son's drug debt. He had been released from a seven‑year sentence in 2012, with five years suspended on a good‑behaviour condition. Judge Melanie Greally reactivated three of those suspended years and imposed a new five‑year sentence, suspending the final four years, for the attempted robbery on 28 December 2017. Murphy pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The robbery involved him threatening a shop employee, Marco Moniz, with a pair of scissors. Moniz tackled Murphy, and police arrived shortly after. Murphy admitted the offence was stupid, expressed remorse, and said he had no intention to injure anyone. The sentence is consecutive to the reactivated years. The case was prosecuted by Gerardine Small BL and defended by Keith Spencer BL. The article reports no further legal developments.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Jail for father who held up shop to pay son's drug debt. Charges or matters: the attempted robbery of Centra on Camden Street, Dublin on December 28, 2017. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- December 28, 2017 Incident
- 2018-11-21 Publication
Why: He told gardaí that he had planned to rob the shop in Dublin city centre because "someone I know is in a bit of trouble and needs money". CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: the attempted robbery of Centra on Camden Street, Dublin on December 28, 2017 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: He received a seven year sentence in 2012, with the final five suspended, for robberies. Judge Greally imposed a new five year sentence for this offence but suspended the final four years, taking into account Murphy's genuine remorse, his desire to deal with his drug issues and his guilty plea.; He said he was sorry for what he had done and had been remanded in custody since the attempted raid.
Places mentioned
- Dereen Heights
- Tullow
- Tullow Road
- Carlow town
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- Camden Street
Topics
Related court reports
- 'Brilliant law academic' who stabbed elderly father to death found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity
- 'He told me he loved me, but I just kept stabbing him' - lawyer on trial accused of murdering father
- Mentally ill man who received suspended sentence for harassing barrister contacted her within days of release, court hears
- Former solicitor at prestigious firm pleads not guilty to murdering father by reason of insanity
- Sentence adjourned for broadcaster Brendan Courtney's attacker
- 'I'm going to kill you' - Carjacker held knife to elderly woman's throat
If a fact, identity, locality or legal outcome needs review, email the newsroom with this report's details prefilled.
Email a correction request