MURPHY RELEASE:THE CONVICTED rapist Larry Murphy was freed yesterday morning after spending 10½ years in prison. Murphy (45) from Baltinglass, Co Wicklow, was sentenced to 15 years for the abduction, rape and attempted murder of a woman in 2000.
As a convicted sex offender, he has seven days to inform gardaí where he is living in order that they can monitor him. If he fails to disclose his address he will have committed a criminal offence.
Murphy emerged from Arbour Hill prison in Dublin’s north inner city at 10.15am.
He was jailed for 15 years, with one suspended, after he abducted a woman from a car park in Carlow, brought her to the Wicklow mountains, repeatedly raped her and then attempted to murder her. Two hunters disturbed the late-night attack. One of them recognised Murphy, whose house was just two miles away. He was arrested, eventually pleaded guilty and was jailed.
Murphy was entitled, as all inmates are, to remission of one quarter of his sentence, meaning the actual sentence imposed on him was 10½ years in prison.
His release has received much media attention because many reports have linked him to the disappearance and presumed murder of a number of women in the Leinster area in the 1990s. These cases include Annie McCarrick, Jo Jo Dullard and Deirdre Jacob.
However, extensive investigations by gardaí, during which Murphy was questioned and his cars and property forensically examined, found no evidence linking him to any of the cases.
It is unclear if Murphy intends to stay in Ireland. He is obliged under the Sex Offenders Act to inform gardaí where he is living and if he changes address, including moving abroad.
While a pilot project aimed at electronically tagging low-risk non-violent offenders is currently being prepared, there is no system currently in place that would allow Murphy to be tagged. However, a local Garda inspector will be tasked with co-ordinating other gardaí in the monitoring of Murphy in whatever part of the country he chooses to reside.
Any information on Murphy’s behaviour or movements will be entered into the Garda’s Pulse (computer) system. Murphy will be put under surveillance for a period to identify any behaviour that would suggest he is at risk of reoffending. He refused treatment or counselling in prison.
“He is regarded as high risk and he’ll be very closely monitored,” said one Garda source.
Speaking on RTÉ’s News at One, his brother Tom Murphy said the last few weeks leading up to the release had been “very stressful” due to the large media presence outside his home.
Mr Murphy said he had not had contact with his brother since 2005 and he did not want to have any contact with him.
“All I can say to them is I will not be having him here. Basically I just want to get back to a normal life. My kids are here for the last five weeks, prisoners in this house,” Mr Murphy added.
“No matter where you go, you’re looking over your shoulder for media. I just don’t want to live like that and I can’t live like that.”
About 60 people from west Wicklow and east Kildare attended a public meeting in Grangecon, Co Wicklow, last night, to express concern at Murphy’s release. The meeting was organised by local Sinn Féin activists who expressed regret that neither the Garda nor a representative of the Rape Crisis Centre were there.
A number of people in the hall voiced concern that Murphy had been released with one man asking if “anyone knows where he is tonight?” The meeting was told that gardaí had said they would meet a representative group, if one was set up.
Facing reality when it comes to sex offenders: page 14; Editorial comment: page 15