Courts / Dublin / Report

'100% not me': bicycle thief's claims fail to convince court

Date
2026-02-05
Stage
Hearing Or Decision
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

A serial offender, Andrew Murphy, was convicted and fined €750 after claiming that CCTV footage of a bicycle thief was '100% not me'. Murphy had pleaded not guilty to unlawfully taking a bicycle from a bike rack outside a store in Dublin. The victim reported that his bicycle was stolen, with the broken lock left behind. The CCTV footage showed a man removing a bicycle from the rack, and Garda Dylan Higgins identified Murphy as the individual in the footage. Murphy denied being the person in the footage, claiming he did not have the clothes depicted and was dealing with addiction issues at the time. The defence argued that the prosecution failed to establish a proper chain of custody for the CCTV footage and relied on Garda recognition evidence, which could be subject to honest mistake. However, the judge accepted Garda Higgins' identification and found Murphy guilty beyond reasonable doubt. Murphy has a significant criminal history, including 23 theft convictions, and the judge noted his difficult past before imposing the fine.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: '100% not me': bicycle thief's claims fail to convince court. Charges or matters: unlawfully taking a bicycle from a bike rack outside SuperValu, Ranelagh Road, Dublin 6, on 5 January 2024. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision

When:

Case subjects

Andrew Murphy

Defendant

Charges: unlawfully taking a bicycle from a bike rack outside SuperValu, Ranelagh Road, Dublin 6, on 5 January 2024 (Alleged Or Contested)

Plea: Not guilty

Places mentioned

Residence
Address Area
  • Ranelagh Road
Secondary Mention
Court Venue
  • Supreme Court

Topics

Stage Hearing Or Decision Theft

Related court reports

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