Courts / Dublin / Report

Travel agent may avoid jail if he can repay stolen charity money

Summary

John Murphy, 66, a former travel agent and founder of The Children to Lapland Appeal, was convicted in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for stealing €68,000 from the charity he established in 1987 to fund trips for terminally ill children. The trial lasted two days with 42 minutes of jury deliberation. Murphy had previously pleaded not guilty to four theft counts in 2010 totalling €18,643. At sentencing, the court heard his family offered to raise compensation and that the charity had been liquidated. Judge Patrick McCartan said he would consider a non‑custodial sentence if the money was repaid by 16 March, noting the need for a deterrent. Murphy is now involved with a new charity, The Make It Happen Foundation, and his bail conditions require disclosure of the theft charges to its directors.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Travel agent may avoid jail if he can repay stolen charity money. Charges or matters: four counts of theft between June and July 2010 in the Dublin area totalling €18,643. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Convicted

When:

• July 2010 Hearing Or Sentence
• March 16th Hearing Or Sentence
• 2016-03-07 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Appeal Theft

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Read the original CNI report