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Jail for man who squandered over €870k stolen from Virgin Media by his wife
Summary
John Murray, 43, of Kimmage, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment after pleading guilty to ten counts of possessing the proceeds of crime. The charges stemmed from his wife, Kellie Walton, 42, who as a payroll administrator at Virgin Media siphoned €872,470 into Murray's Bank of Ireland account over a decade. The money was largely spent on foreign holidays, premium TV subscriptions and phone services. Walton had previously received a four‑year sentence in 2023, with the final two years suspended, and is now working part‑time. Murray denied the allegations initially but pleaded guilty on the day of his trial. The court noted that the couple had squandered all the funds, leaving them with nothing, and that Murray had no prior convictions. He was deemed unlikely to reoffend.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Jail for man who squandered over €870k stolen from Virgin Media by his wife. Charges or matters: three sample counts, representing ten charges of possessing the proceeds of crime, on dates between January 2009 and July 2019. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- January 2009 Incident
- July 2019 Incident
- January 2023 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2024-04-17 Publication
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: three sample counts, representing ten charges of possessing the proceeds of crime, on dates between January 2009 and July 2019 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: He was sentenced to two years in prison after Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that his wife transferred a total of €872,470 to his Bank of Ireland account over the ten-year period. Passing sentence today, Judge Martin Nolan said Murray should have known at a very early stage that his wife was stealing and that it was "very reckless" of him to have let it continue.
Convicted Person
Charges: three sample counts, representing ten charges of possessing the proceeds of crime, on dates between January 2009 and July 2019 (Alleged Or Contested)
Outcome: Photo: Collins) A man who along with his wife "squandered" over €870,000 that she stole from Virgin Media on foreign holidays and premium TV subscriptions has been jailed for two years. The court heard that Walton was sentenced in January 2023 to four years in prison, with the final two years suspended.
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