The Court of Appeal has reduced the sentences imposed on brothers Colin and Glen Murphy for a series of violent offences committed over little more than two hours on Christmas Day 2022.
Both men had originally received 12-year prison terms, with the final two years suspended for five years. The appeal court found an error in the way consecutive sentences had been imposed and resentenced each brother to nine and a half years, with the final 18 months suspended for 18 months.
The offending began after the brothers left their grandparents’ home at about 9pm while heavily intoxicated. They stole a tractor from a neighbouring farm and crashed into several telegraph poles, causing about €1,700 damage and disrupting local communications.
After a woman stopped at the scene, the brothers entered her car and demanded a lift. Her brother then arrived and was assaulted, with Glen Murphy striking him on the head with a vodka bottle. His car was also damaged.
About 500 metres further along the road, another local man was seriously assaulted. He was later found unconscious behind his burning car. He had suffered a traumatic brain injury, facial and head injuries and damage to his ear. He subsequently experienced lasting neurological, psychological and financial consequences.
Colin Murphy had pleaded guilty to arson and assault causing harm involving that victim. Glen Murphy admitted two criminal damage offences, two assaults causing harm and unlawful use of the tractor.
The Court of Appeal upheld a 14-year headline term for Colin Murphy’s arson offence and held that the five-year maximum available at the time was justified for each brother’s assault on the second victim.
However, it ruled that making every sentence consecutive failed to reflect that several offences formed part of the same criminal transactions. Colin Murphy’s assault sentence will run concurrently with his arson sentence. Glen Murphy’s offences were grouped into three distinct episodes, with sentences consecutive only between those groups.
Both men must also remain away from the townland where the offences occurred during the suspended period and comply with probation supervision after release.