Dublin man jailed for hostage incident

A man has been jailed for 15 years in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for his part in holding four people hostage for up to two hours.

He was also given a 12 year sentence for the robbery of £7, 773 from the restaurant to which one of the people he had held hostage was the proprietor. This sentence is to run concurrently to the 15 years and both were backdated to May 2000.

Derek Murphy, 33, of Macroom Avenue, Coolock, was found guilty on July 24 by a jury of detaining Ms Medina Desmond, Ms Michelle Grimes, Mr John Comer and Mrs Mary Comer at Ayrfield Drive , Coolock between October 1 and 2, 2000.

He was also found guilty of the robbery of £7,773 from Mrs Comer at Graham O'Suillivan's restaraunt in Artane Shopping Centre on the same date.

Judge Patrick McCartan said forensic evidence taken from a cigarette found at the house in Ayrfield Drive was crucial in convicting Murphy and he was sure the defendant would "rue the day" he had so casually thrown this evidence away.

He commended the hard work of the gardai in investigating this offence, in particular Detective Garda Patrick O'Toole who was the first officer on the scene.

Judge McCartan praised his sharpness of mind in noticing the cigarette butts lying around and his speed in closing off the area to preserve the evidence.

Defence counsel, Mr John Phelan SC (with Mr Pieter La Vert BL) said Murphy had first been in trouble with the authorities when he was 10, a year after his parents separated. He has since spent 18 out of his 33 years in custody.

Det Gda O'Toole told Mr Brendan Grehan BL, prosecuting, Murphy had 20 previous convictions, including one for manslaughter in 1993. He said this case involved the stabbing of a young man who owed £10.

Murphy's co-accused, Joseph Cole (34), of Bunratty Road, Coolock was sentenced to eight years for this offence by Judge McCartan in January.

Cole gave evidence for the defence in Murphy's trial where he said he was involved in the robbery but Murphy was not and refused to name the second man.

Judge McCartan said this was a "horrendous crime" where Mr and Mrs Comer had returned from an evening socialising to find their children had been in the same house as two armed masked men.

They were subsequently threatened with guns and Mr Comer was tied up with rope until the raiders got the money from the restaurant.

He said Murphy was a major threat to society and he was satisfied the defendant had not finished his life of crime

Det Gda O'Toole said Mrs Comer was the supervisor of Ms Desmond at Graham O'Sullivan's restaurant in the Artane Castle Shopping Centre and she often baby-sat for her two children with her friend, Ms Michelle Grimes, who also worked in there.

The Comers had gone out at about 8pm and the two girls were left babysitting in the house at Ayrfield Drive in Coolock.

Shortly after 11pm, after the two children had been put to bed, a knock came at the door and both girls became a little anxious. Ms Desmond went to have a look out a side window but could see no one.

She opened the door to Murphy and Cole, who were armed with a firearm each and one also carried a long bladed knife.

They searched the house looking for the keys to the restaurant but were unsuccessful. During the search Ms Desmond was allowed upstairs to check on the children on two occasions.

Shortly after midnight Mr and Mrs Comer arrived home in a taxi. The raiders hid behind a door and waited for both husband and wife to appear in the front room before they pounced. A gun was held to Mr Comer's head while the raiders demanded the restaurant keys from his wife.

A terrified Mrs Comer took out the keys and gave them to the raiders. Mr Comer then had his hands and feet tied together and Murphy forced Mrs Comer out into her husband's Renault Megane. The two baby-sitters were left sitting on the couch.

When Murphy was leaving with Mrs Comer he said to Cole "if he tries anything funny shoot him in the leg", pointing at Mr Comer.

At the restaurant, Ms Comer was in such a state of shock she broke the key in the door to the room containing the safe. Murphy broke the door open using a fire extinguisher and took the money.

Murphy then drove Mrs Comer home and he left with Cole in the family car. Mr Comer was untied and the gardai were called.

DNA was extracted from a partially smoked cigarette found at the home and the profile was matched to a hair sample given by Murphy to the gardai.

Det Gda O'Toole said the Comers were extremely tramautised by the event and do not now allow their children to open the door at any time of the day. They have also installed an extra patio door which has an additional security lock.

He said Ms Desmond has stopped babysitting and cannot be in a house on her own as she becomes very nervous if she hears any noises outside. Ms Grimes did not issue a victim impact report.