Courts / Wexford / Report
Man who pretended to be journalist to extort money from elderly sex offender avoids jail
Summary
John Murphy, 31, of New Ross, Wexford, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for theft committed at an address in Foxrock, Dublin, on October 28, 2014. Murphy pleaded guilty to the charge. The court heard that Murphy, posing as a journalist, extorted €1,000 from 82-year-old Patrick Brendan Tiernan by threatening to publish his image alongside sex offender Larry Murphy. Tiernan, who previously pleaded guilty to 14 charges of indecent assault and gross indecency involving nine victims, was targeted for his prior convictions. Judge Desmond Hogan described the act as a "particularly mean offence" and sentenced Murphy to three years in prison, suspended in full for four years. Murphy was ordered to pay €5,500 to the victim, keep the peace and be of good behaviour for four years, and comply with probation services for two years. The judge noted that Murphy acted as the frontman for a sophisticated operation involving surveillance. The matter was finalised with this suspended sentence and associated conditions.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Man who pretended to be journalist to extort money from elderly sex offender avoids jail. Charges or matters: theft at an address in Foxrock, Dublin on October 28, 2014; 14 charges of indecent assault and gross indecency involving nine victims. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- October 28, 2014 Incident
- 2015-07-17 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: theft at an address in Foxrock, Dublin on October 28, 2014; 14 charges of indecent assault and gross indecency involving nine victims (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Judge Hogan called it a "particularly mean offence" and sentenced Murphy to three years in prison, suspended in full for four years.
Places mentioned
Topics
Stage Sentence Theft Violent Crime
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