Courts / Dublin / Report

Conviction for stealing from "Children to Lapland" charity upheld

Summary

John Murphy (69), a former travel agent and founder of the Children to Lapland charity, was convicted of four counts of theft totaling €18,643 from the charity between June and July 2010. He had pleaded not guilty, arguing that the charity owed him money and that funds routinely moved between accounts. The prosecution described his defence as the "Father Ted defence." A jury found him guilty after 42 minutes of deliberation, and he received a wholly suspended three‑year sentence in 2016. On 1 March 2019, the Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal. Justice Isobel Kennedy, joined by Justices George Birmingham and Patrick McCarthy, upheld the conviction, noting that evidence of an honest belief in entitlement was insufficient and that the trial judge's instructions to the jury were correct. The appeal was therefore dismissed.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Conviction for stealing from "Children to Lapland" charity upheld. Charges or matters: four counts of theft from The Children to Lapland Appeal between June and July 2010 totalling €18,643. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Found guilty

When:

• July 2010 Other
• March 16, 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2019-03-01 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Appeal Theft

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Read the original CNI report