Man on 24-hour protection in jail after fatal crash

A MAN arrested and charged with false imprisonment following an investigation into a double fatal car crash in Knocknaheeny last week remains on 24-hour protection at Cork Prison since being sent there last Saturday.

The court yesterday refused an application to have Philip Murphy, aged 40, from 58 Killala Gardens, Knocknaheeny, transferred to Limerick Prison.

His solicitor, Joseph Cuddigan, said prison authorities fear Murphy is “at risk”.

There was a large Garda presence for the hearing. Murphy is accused of false imprisonment of Darren Lenehan at Hollywood Estate, Blarney Road, Cork, last Thursday, contrary to the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

The charge arose out of the investigation of a fatal incident in the early hours of Friday last on Harbour View Road where CJ Dolan, 16, and Derry O’Callaghan, 19, died following a two-car collision.

During the brief hearing yesterday, Mr Cuddigan applied to Judge Con O’Leary to recommend the prison authorities transfer Murphy from Cork to Limerick prison.

“He is in 24-hour lock-up in Cork Prison as the authorities apprehend that he might be at risk in the prison. And that is through no fault of his, he is an innocent man,” said Mr Cuddigan. “But it (his remand in custody) could continue for quite some time waiting for a trial. In Limerick it would be a different situation.”

Judge O’Leary refused this application and said: “The accommodation of prisoners is exclusively a matter for the Prison Service.”

On the application of Inspector John Deasy, Judge O’Leary remanded Murphy in custody to Cork District Court on May 27.