Family want to time to absorb impact of sentences

The family of Brian Murphy, who died in a brawl outside a Dublin nightclub, have asked for time to absorb sentences handed down to three people in connection with his death today.

Three former pupils of one of Ireland’s most prestigious schools were jailed today for charges in connection with the brutal death of a teenager in a drunken brawl outside a Dublin nightclub.

Dermot Laide, 22, was sentenced to four years for manslaughter and a further two years for violent disorder, to run concurrently.

Co-accused Sean Mackey, 23, was jailed for two years and Desmond Ryan, 23, for nine months, both for violent disorder.

All three were just months out of the exclusive Blackrock College when 18-year-old Brian Murphy was kicked and beaten to death after a student night at Club Anabel in the Burlington Hotel, Dublin on August 31, 2000.

Sentencing them at the Circuit Criminal Court after a 34-day trial, Judge Michael White acknowledged that the youths who kicked Mr Murphy as he lay defenceless on the ground had not been specifically identified by any witness.

He accepted that the violence had lasted no more than five minutes and that that the assault was not pre-meditated.

Laide, from Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, showed no reaction as Judge White reiterated that he delivered two punches of “very considerable force” to Mr Murphy’s head.

“His actions contributed substantially to the escalation of this incident and to Mr Murphy becoming surrounded and defenceless,” he said.

“The use of violent force was completely out of proportion to the situation he faced.”

The judge told the court he had taken into account Mackey’s demeanor as that of “a person out to cause trouble.”

He accepted Mr Murphy had thrown the first punch but said Mackey, from Foxrock, Co Dublin, had not become involved in the fight as a direct response to this nor to act as peacemaker.

By contrast, Ryan’s willingness to help Mr Murphy after the fight served in his favour. Judge White described him as “obviously caring” and acknowledged he had walked away from the fight as it got out of hand.

His sentence was suspended until May 31 to allow Ryan, from Dalkey, Co Dublin, to finish his final exams at University College Dublin.

As the judgment was given, the three men showed little reaction. Their girlfriends sobbed and Laide’s father held his head in his hands.

Outside Mr Murphy’s family stood together as his father Denis read a statement on their behalf.

“We hugely respect Mr Justice White for the manner in which he conducted the trial and the decisions which he made,” he said.

“However, we need some time to absorb the impact of the sentences handed down today.

“After all no one but no one should forget that our son Brian was savagely kicked and beaten to death and will not be coming back.

“With the sentences handed down today, those convicted in connection with Brian’s death will be back with their families in a relatively short space of time.”

The trial has dominated media headlines for the last two months.

At a sentence hearing for the three men last week, Mr Murphy’s parents launched a stinging attack on the Republic’s justice system.

His father Denis said the trial had left him with “more questions than answers” as he spoke for the first time about the devastating impact his son’s death has had on the family.

Mr Murphy said his strongest support since Brian’s death on August 31, 2000 had been the prospect of a trial which would reveal the truth but it had done nothing to establish how he died.

In an emotional address to the court his mother, Mary Murphy, expressed frustration that the tragedy experienced by her family had been portrayed as if in some way comparable to the families of those in the dock.

“I was not there when Brian was savagely beaten to death,” she said, addressing the three men.

“If I had been there you would not have succeeded in your quest to attack my baby because you would have had to kill me first.”

She too expressed anger at the way the trial had been conducted and said she herself had felt under attack and brainwashed into thinking what happened to Brian had been his own fault.

The prosecution did not allege the attack was planned but that all of the accused had chosen to take part.

Edward Comyn, prosecuting, described it as a “short but sustained” attack in which Mr Murphy was left isolated and outnumbered.

A post mortem revealed he died from severe swelling of the brain and the court heard his head injuries were the result of “considerable violence”.

Lawyers for all three are expected to lodge appeals against the sentences within 21 days.