Graham McEvoy jailed for murder of friend in Dublin

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

Graham McEvoy was jailed for life after being convicted of murdering his friend Paul Curran. The proceedings were reported on 19 December 2017.

McEvoy stabbed Curran at least six times at a flat complex in Crumlin, Dublin, on 16 July 2016. The report said McEvoy blamed him for an earlier attack in which he had nearly been slashed across the face.

McEvoy claimed he had gone to sell Curran cocaine and that Curran pulled a knife when he asked for the money. He said he took the knife from Curran and used it to attack him, claiming he acted in self-defence. The report said Curran’s injuries showed defensive wounds and that he was trying to get away.

In a victim-impact statement read in court on 19 December 2017, Curran’s mother described her son as soft and gentle and said she did not believe he had a knife.

Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy imposed the mandatory life sentence. Defence counsel Barry White said McEvoy’s comments to his family after the conviction were intended to dispel their distress at the sentence, rather than being bravado.