A 17-year-old male has pleaded guilty to the attempted murder of Defence Forces chaplain Fr. Paul Murphy before the Central Criminal Court this afternoon.
Fr. Murphy sustained multiple stab wounds during the attack that was unleashed upon him by the then 16-year-old who Gardaí say they believe was radicalized online
A guilty plea was entered before Mr. Justice Paul McDermott to the charge of attempted murder of the priest at Dún Uí Mhaoilíosa, Renmore Barracks in Galway on 15 August 2024, RTÉ reports.
The court requested that a probation report from Oberstown Detention Centre be prepared, adjourning the case until the 7th of March in order to set a date for a sentencing hearing.
As Gript previously reported, Fr. Murphy was attacked with a knife and stabbed five times as he rolled down his car window to talk to the sentry at the army barracks. The sentry fired warning shots at the attacker and Defence Forces personnel managed to subdue him before the Gardaí and Armed Response Unit arrived.
At the time of the attack, The Irish Times reported that Gardaí believed the teenager had been “radicalised” by “conspiracy theories regarding Irish involvement in Mali and the Middle East”.
The Irish Defence Forces have taken part in an EU Training Mission in Mali, assisting to train the Malian military to secure parts of the country which have fallen into the hands of Islamic militants linked to Al-Qaeda. Human Rights Watch this year said that the Islamist armed groups and ethnic militias are brutally attacking civilians without fear of prosecution in Mali.
Gardaí searched the suspect’s home and examined devices while the youth was being questioned.
In the days after being stabbed, Fr. Murphy posted on Facebook to thank people for their messages and concern.
“Friends, thank you for your prayers, love, and concern. Sorry that I can’t reply to all messages and take all the calls coming my way. I’m doing okay; just awaiting surgery,” Fr Murphy wrote.
“All will be well,” he added.