A man who made “vile and derogatory” threats towards a woman, whose partner was killed in front of her, has been sentenced to six months in jail.
Karl Murphy (39) of Wheelhouse Drive Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, pleaded guilty to making threats against the woman, Lindsay Doyle, who was a key witness in the unlawful killing proceedings in respect of her partner Brian Hogan who died in January 2023 as a result of an assault that took place in Finglas.
The offences of intimation of a witness are contrary to Section 41.1.1 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991.
Judge Orla Crowe heard that after the unlawful killing proceeding garnered media attention in 2023, Murphy and his then partner, Sinead White (38) of Collins Place, Finglas, Dublin 11, sent a number of voice messages to the injured party on Facebook in which he made threats to burn her house.
The court heard that the injured party had named the brother of Ms. White as part of a statement she made to Gardaí in relation to the death of her partner.
Ms. White, who has 189 previous convictions from the District Court. also pleaded guilty witness intimidation, and was sentenced to 21 months in jail by Judge Martin Nolan at a previous sitting of the Circuit Criminal Court in November 2024.
In a voice message sent at 00:06 on the 1st of September 2023, Ms. White told the victim “I’m not gonna tell you again stop nosing on my page,”, “I’ll stab you, ye fucking muppet, ye mad rat, ye.”, “I’ll boot ye around, ye mad thing, ye.”, “Lie down for brown.”, and “This time you’re getting a hook in the head.”
The court heard that the pair were sharing a phone at the time, and that Ms. White could be heard interjecting in one of the voice messages sent by Mr. Murphy.
Karl Murphy told the victim, who had given birth to the baby of her dead partner three months earlier, “Watch when you got to court you absolute fool, the lads have you sorted, you clown, you absolute clown,”.
“Give this to the Garda if you want, it’s gonna come out that you suck cock for rock” and “ye stupid bitch”.
“See that sham that got killed…I’m gonna burn his gaff, I’m gonna burn both gaffs.” he said before White is heard saying “Burn her house”.
Prosecuting counsel, Aideen Collard BL told the court that the accused had taken a trial date which both counsel’s agreed was due to late disclosure.
When interviewed by Gardaí he said, “I was just being stupid” and “It was a joke. I was off my head”.
Murphy has 66 previous convictions including 24 for theft, 14 for road traffic offences, 3 for misuse of drugs, and 3 for criminal damage, as well as a number for failure to appear before the courts and public order matters.
At the time of the commission of the relevant offence he was on bail in relation to burglary for which he currently serving a three year sentence, which was due to be completed on the 15th of January.
In her victim impact statement, the injured party said that “these messages really scared me and could have easily sent me back down the road of drug abuse.”
She said that she wished to “live a peaceful, happy, and healthy life with my daughter without threats and intimidation.”
Defending counsel, Patrick McCarthy BL said that the accused was “extremely apologetic” for his behaviour and had “very stupidly” become involved in a dispute.
On completion of his prison sentence, Murphy wishes to resume his career as a crane operator, Mr. McCarthy submitted, pleading with the court to consider fully or partially suspending any prison sentence it might be minded to impose.
Murphy is an enhanced prisoner and has managed to have his methadone dose reduced from 90mg to 25mg, he said.
Judge Crowe said that the contents of the messages were “vile and derogatory” and that the victim “has to be commended for the fact that she went to the Gardaí immediately about this.”
She said that the contents of the messages were “disturbing, menacing, and troubling” and that he was “suggesting that he would burn people ‘gaffs’, as he put it.”
“Any interference in the administration of justice has to be treated very seriously by the courts,” she said, adding that the speed of the Garda response was “commendable”.
“It is hard to envisage a threat to burn someone home as seen by that person as a joke,” she said.
She said that the offence was “sufficiently serious that it has to be marked with a custodial sentence”, noting that the injured party had been “present when her partner was unlawfully killed” and was in an “exceptionally vulnerable position” having recently given birth.
The court set a headline sentence of three years before reducing this to a term of 18 months, with the final six months suspended on condition of good behaviour, engagement with the probation services, and that the accused enter into a cashless bond.