George Murray jailed for harassment and burglary in Dublin

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

George Murray received a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after Judge Martin Nolan withdrew an initial suspension of its final 12 months. He pleaded guilty to harassment and burglary. The offences occurred between 12 November 2014 and 3 March 2015. The proceedings were reported on 16 June 2015.

The judge imposed the full term after Murray refused to enter his bond and shouted abuse at the judge and his legal team.

The report described repeated visits to a couple’s home during which Murray threatened the occupants, banged on their door and flipped their letterbox. He had 37 previous convictions. The judge acknowledged his serious psychiatric problem but said the crime was serious and the occupants had felt threatened and were left distressed.

Doctor Damien Smith, a senior registrar at the Central Mental Hospital, told Sean Cleary, defending, that he had been treating Murray during his remand in Cloverhill. He described a diagnosis combining schizophrenia and a mood disorder, treated with fortnightly antipsychotic medication and a daily mood stabiliser.

Dr Smith said Murray’s mood had stabilised in custody and he was less volatile, irritable and hostile, but continued to hold delusional beliefs about the couple’s home. Murray disputed this and insisted he no longer had delusions.

Dr Smith believed Murray had no intention of harming the couple or returning to the area and wished to continue his medication. He said Murray’s chronic, serious illness required ongoing medication and that further offending was less likely if he complied with treatment and did not abuse cough medicine, cannabis and alcohol.