Courts / Meath / Report
Jail for three men who abused boy in the 1980s
Summary
Three men—Francis Murphy (61), Declan Murphy (54) and Francis Boland (56)—were convicted of indecent assault on a child aged 11‑15 during the early 1980s. Each pleaded not guilty and had no prior convictions. The victim waived anonymity and described the abuse, which included forced masturbation and attempts to insert the men's penises into his mouth. The court noted that Murphy was an adult at the time, while Murphy and Boland were juveniles. Judge Melanie Greally sentenced Murphy to 36 months' imprisonment, Declan Murphy to 30 months, and Boland to 22 months, deferred one month. All three will be placed on the sex offenders register. The victim's impact statement highlighted lasting psychological harm and ongoing difficulties with alcohol and drugs. The defendants' counsel highlighted their long work histories and lack of prior Garda attention. The judge emphasized the men's law‑abiding conduct since the offences and offered legal aid for any appeal.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Jail for three men who abused boy in the 1980s. Charges or matters: 11 counts of indecent assault on dates between June 1982 and August 1986; six counts of indecent assault on various dates between 1982 and 1985; four counts of indecent assault on dates between 1981 and 1984. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Found guilty
When:
- June 1982 Incident
- August 1986 Incident
- 1982 and 1985 Incident
- 1981 and 1984 Incident
- 2022-11-21 Publication
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: 11 counts of indecent assault on dates between June 1982 and August 1986; six counts of indecent assault on various dates between 1982 and 1985; four counts of indecent assault on dates between 1981 and 1984 (Proven)
Finding: Found guilty
Outcome: Found guilty; Judge Greally imposed a prison sentence of 36 months on Francis Murphy, to run from today's date. She handed Declan Murphy a jail sentence of 30 months from today's date and imposed a prison sentence of 22 months on Boland, deferred for one month.; Boland was not present in court for the finalisation of the case and a medical report handed to the court indicated he is in hospital.
Places mentioned
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Topics
Drugs Stage Sentence Violent Crime
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