Courts / Carlow / Report
'Pure chaos': Brothers appeal sentence over Christmas Day crime spree
Summary
Two brothers, Colin Murphy (36) and Glen Murphy (33), are appealing their ten-year sentences for a Christmas Day crime spree that involved arson, criminal damage, and a serious assault. The appeal is currently before the Court of Appeal. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy noted that the assault on a man in his 60s was at the very top end of the scale and arguably could have been a section 4 assault, which is an offence of causing serious harm. At their sentencing hearing in Kilkenny Circuit Court in March of last year, Judge Cormac Quinn described the offences as a substantial crime spree and jailed both brothers for 10 years each. Glen Murphy was convicted of criminal damage to an MPV, criminal damage to Eir poles, and assault causing harm, with sentences of two, two, and three years respectively. He also received a five-year sentence for the assault that left a man unconscious. All sentences were to run consecutively, with the final two years suspended. Colin Murphy was convicted of arson and assault causing harm, receiving seven and five-year sentences respectively. The matter was adjourned for further consideration.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 'Pure chaos': Brothers appeal sentence over Christmas Day crime spree. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- December 25, 2022 Incident
- Christmas Day Incident
- 2025-06-05 Publication
Case subjects
Appellant
Outcome: While barristers for Colin (36) and Glen Murphy (33) submitted to the Court of Appeal that the sentencing judge should not have imposed consecutive sentences, Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy remarked that the assault of the man in his 60s was at the very top end of the scale and arguably could have been a section 4 assault, which is an offence of causing serious harm. At their sentencing hearing at Kilkenny Circuit Court in March of last year, Judge Cormac Quinn described the offences as "a substantial crime spree" and jailed both brothers for 10 years each.
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