Murphy rumours cause panic in town

LOCAL politicians and businessmen have expressed their anger at groups spreading false rumours that convicted rapist Larry Murphy is in West Cork.

Anonymous text messages stating that Murphy was staying in Courtmacsherry were sent out yesterday and Thursday. A number of postings also appeared on the internet causing minor panic in the town.

It had been suggested that Murphy was staying in a caravan in the area.

However, gardaí have stated that Murphy is not in West Cork.

The owner of the Pier House Bar, John Young, said that a number of locals “did their own investigations” and soon found out it wasn’t true.

“I think there is a crackpot out there doing this, trying to cause panic,” he said. “I have no doubt that the gardaí know exactly where Murphy is”.

Local councillor Fine Gael’s John O’Sullivan said that people had got very upset and some women were refusing to let their children play outside.

“There was an element of hysteria developing and for no reason. I am very concerned about where this rumour campaign began,” he said.

The day after he was released from prison, Murphy was spotted travelling from Dublin to Cork on an early morning train before returning to the capital that afternoon.

The 45-year-old’s whereabouts have been of huge interest locally ever since he was released from Arbour Hill Prison last month. He is now under the wing of the probation service after initially refusing help.

It has been suggested that after a period of therapy and supervision by the probation service, the sex offender may be housed in Ireland, or that he may take the option of leaving the country.

Gardaí are believed to have wound down their monitoring of Murphy’s movements since he was released in early August after serving 10-and-a-half years for the brutal rape of a woman in the Wicklow mountains in 2001.

However, a number of specialist gardaí are still keeping an eye on his movements, it was confirmed last night.