Paul Murtagh ordered community service for marmoset possession

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

Paul Murtagh was ordered by Dublin District Court to complete 80 hours of community service for possessing a stolen marmoset. He also pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a stun gun and was ordered to complete 120 hours’ community service for that offence. The proceedings were reported on 11 November 2013.

Judge Bryan Smyth ordered the first community-service term in lieu of four months in prison and the second in lieu of six months. Murtagh said he had not known the monkey was unlawfully taken but accepted he had been reckless about whether it was stolen. The defence said he kept the stun gun in his car because others staying at his home might steal it, and that he had no sinister intention.