Courts / Dublin / Report
Nine years for man with previous convictions for knife crime who killed 'intruder' outside his home
Summary
Patrick Murphy, 38, was sentenced to ten years in prison at the Central Criminal Court for the manslaughter of Jordan Ronan. The jury had previously returned a unanimous verdict of manslaughter, aligning with Murphy's plea, after finding him not guilty of murder. Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo set a headline sentence of 14 years, which was reduced to ten years due to the guilty plea and other mitigating factors. The final sentence includes a suspended portion of one year for a two-year period, with the term backdated to July 26, 2024. The judge noted that Murphy failed to call an ambulance for the victim, who died from a stab wound to the chest. Murphy, who has 31 previous convictions including knife possession, claimed he was defending his property after Ronan accessed his van. The victim's father, Stephen Packenham, stated the family does not accept the verdict, describing the evidence as overwhelming and criticizing the outcome. The court also heard evidence regarding an alleged prison assault on Murphy, which resulted in facial injuries requiring stitches, though no aspersions were cast against the victim's family.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Nine years for man with previous convictions for knife crime who killed 'intruder' outside his home. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- 26 July 2024 Incident
- December 11 Incident
- July 26, 2024 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2026-03-16 Publication
Why: Mr Kennedy earlier said his client's partner had decided not to attend court for the sentence hearing "because she was concerned for her own safety". CNI source report
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