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'Don't stay, because it doesn't get better': Violent abuser who repeatedly raped partner while keeping her 'hostage' gets 14.5 years
Summary
Lisa O'Meara, who waived her anonymity, told the Central Criminal Court that she had been kept hostage in her own home by Barry Murphy, who repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted her between February 2018 and February 2020. Murphy, 39, was convicted of three rapes, one sexual assault, three assault causing harm, one false imprisonment and coercive control over an 18‑month period. He was also found guilty of a separate assault abroad. The court heard that the front door of the couple's house was riveted shut and that O'Meara had no means of communication until she escaped the night after the final rape. Murphy's bail was revoked when O'Meara lived with him. The judge imposed a headline sentence of 17 years for the rapes, four years for coercive control, and other sentences for the remaining offences, all running concurrently. The final global sentence was 15½ years, with the last year suspended on strict conditions.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 'Don't stay, because it doesn't get better': Violent abuser who repeatedly raped partner while keeping her 'hostage' gets 14.5 years. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Convicted
When:
- February 8, 2018 Hearing Or Sentence
- February 24, 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
- January 1, 2019 Hearing Or Sentence
- July 4, 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
- February 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
- January 2020 Other
- July 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2019 and 2020 Incident
- 2024-12-16 Publication
Why: Just leave, you have to leave, don't stay, because it doesn't get better. CNI source report
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Finding: Convicted
Outcome: Convicted; Barry Murphy (R)) By Fiona Ferguson and Sonya McLean A violent abuser who repeatedly raped and controlled his partner while she was "for all intents and purposes" kept hostage in her home has been jailed for 14 and a half years. Mr Justice Naidoo imposed a global sentence of 15 and a half years after he said that all the sentences would run concurrently.
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
- subsequently came to the garda station
Topics
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