Courts / Dublin / Report

Mass thief who left labelled bike at scene avoids jail

Summary

A 40‑year‑old Dublin man, Justin Murray, was given a suspended 12‑month prison sentence for stealing €500 in mass donations from the sacristy of the Church of Our Lady of Victories in Ballymun. The theft occurred on 6 November 2016 when a parishioner witnessed him taking money and he fled. Gardaí identified him via CCTV and found his bicycle, marked with his name, abandoned on the church grounds. Murray had previously pleaded guilty to the offence and had 77 convictions, including ten thefts and 20 burglaries. He is already serving a separate prison term for another offence, due for release in July 2019, and the new suspended sentence will run consecutively. Judge Elma Sheahan, noting his efforts to recover from drug addiction and his current drug‑free status, imposed the suspension on the condition that he continue treatment and keep the peace.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Mass thief who left labelled bike at scene avoids jail. Charges or matters: stealing cash at the Church of Our Lady of Victories in Ballymun, Dublin, on November 6, 2016. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• November 6, 2016 Incident
• July 2019 Incident
• 2019-04-11 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Drugs Stage Sentence Theft

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Read the original CNI report