Courts / Dublin / Report
Callous car thieves who left businessman to die see jail terms increased
Summary
The Court of Appeal has increased the prison terms for Adam Murphy and Keith McCormick-Smith, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter and multiple vehicle thefts. The court ruled that their original sentences were unduly lenient. Murphy, who admitted to manslaughter and seven other offences committed in a spree in Dublin on January 23, 2022, had his combined sentence raised from nine and a half years to 12 years. The Court of Appeal found that the sentencing judge erred in principle by fully suspending the two-and-a-half-year consecutive sentence for the theft offences. The court imposed four years for the unauthorised taking counts, consecutive to the manslaughter term, resulting in a total of 12 years after reductions and a six-month suspension. McCormick-Smith, who also pleaded guilty to the same theft charges plus possession of stolen property, saw his sentence more than double from two years and two months to five years. The court determined that the original headline sentence was a substantial departure from the norm. It imposed two consecutive four-year sentences for the thefts, reduced to six years, with the final 12 months suspended. Both men were convicted of leaving a victim, Ian McDonnell, to die after he was thrown from a stolen car during the crime spree.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Callous car thieves who left businessman to die see jail terms increased. Charges or matters: manslaughter; two counts of attempting to take a vehicle, three counts of stealing three vehicles, one count of attempting to steal property from a vehicle, and one count of stealing a push-bike at various locations throughout Dublin on the same date; two counts of attempting to take a vehicle, three counts of stealing three vehicles, one count of attempting to steal property from a vehicle, and one count of stealing a push-bike at various locations in Dublin on January 23, 2022; one count of possession of stolen property in the form of a car key at his address on February 8, 2022. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- January 23, 2022 Incident
- January 28, 2022 Hearing Or Sentence
- February 8, 2022 Incident
- 2024-12-18 Publication
Case subjects
Accused
Charges: manslaughter; two counts of attempting to take a vehicle, three counts of stealing three vehicles, one count of attempting to steal property from a vehicle, and one count of stealing a push-bike at various locations throughout Dublin on the same date; two counts of attempting to take a vehicle, three counts of stealing three vehicles, one count of attempting to steal property from a vehicle, and one count of stealing a push-bike at various locations in Dublin on January 23, 2022; one count of possession of stolen property in the form of a car key at his address on February 8, 2022 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: In bringing an undue leniency appeal before the Court of Appeal in October, counsel for the DPP, David Perry BL, said that Murphy was sentenced to nine and a half years for manslaughter, plus two and a half years consecutive to that for the other offences, with this latter aspect of the sentence suspended in its entirety to foster rehabilitation. He said the DPP took issue with both the two-and-a-half-year sentence imposed on Murphy and its suspension, arguing that although the headline sentence was set at four and a half years, it should have been five.
Co Accused
Charges: manslaughter; two counts of attempting to take a vehicle, three counts of stealing three vehicles, one count of attempting to steal property from a vehicle, and one count of stealing a push-bike at various locations throughout Dublin on the same date; two counts of attempting to take a vehicle, three counts of stealing three vehicles, one count of attempting to steal property from a vehicle, and one count of stealing a push-bike at various locations in Dublin on January 23, 2022; one count of possession of stolen property in the form of a car key at his address on February 8, 2022 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: In the case of McCormick-Smith, Mr Justice MacGrath said the court was satisfied that the original headline sentence was a substantial departure from the norm and an error of principle by the sentencing judge.
Places mentioned
- Court of Appeal
- Tallaght
- Tallaght Hospital
- Cherry Orchard Crescent
- Dublin
- Church Road
Topics
Stage Appeal Theft Violent Crime
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