Four years for thief who terrorised his victims

A thief who pushed his way into the homes of vulnerable people in his locality to steal from them has been given a four year sentence for terrorising a mother of two and a 74-year-old man.

David Murray (aged 26) grabbed the tubing of a breathing apparatus running from the elderly man's nose to an oxygen tank and wrapped it around his neck. When the victim tried to scream, he pushed him to the ground and the old man suffered a fractured elbow.

He will begin the sentence in February 2009 when he finishes his current sentence of four years for repeated thefts of another elderly neighbour which caused the immobile victim to fear for his life.

Murray, of Balbutcher Lane, Ballymun pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two charges of aggravated burglary and burglary, on May 13, 2008. Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a four year sentence which is to be consecutive to his current sentence, and suspended the final year on conditions.

Garda David Moran told Ms Anne-Marie Lawlor BL, prosecuting, that when the elderly man answered a knock on his door, Murray told him "I want to see your daughter."

The man told him he had no daughter but Murray persisted and came in and shut the door behind him before wrapping the breathing tubing around his neck.

Murray panicked and fled when a neighbour came to the door. The neighbour helped the elderly man, who was struggling to breathe, to fix his breathing tube. He was treated for bruising and a fractured elbow.

Gda Moran said that an hour and a half later, Murray knocked on the door of the woman's home and was met by her son. He put his arms around the man asked him how he was while he "inched his way" into the house, closing the door behind him.

He ordered the woman to give him a "tenner" and when she refused he pulled out a kitchen knife and told her he would stick it in her if she did not hand over money.

Murray then grabbed the woman's purse from her hand and ran out the door.

Gda Moran said Murray had 26 previous convictions for theft, burglary, possession of an article with intent to commit injury, handling stolen property, and drugs and road traffic offences.

Murray was sentenced to four years imprisonment with the final year suspended in October last and the sentence was backdated to reflect the significant time he had spent in custody.

Garda Andrew Lamb told Judge Ryan during that sentence hearing that Murray had forced his way into an elderly man's home three times in early 2007 and stole money and tobacco from him.

"The victim lived in fear of his life of David Murray. He wasn't mobile and was afraid he would get violent and kill him," said Gda Lamb. "His nurse feared for his safety as well and liaised with the City Council so he could be moved." The man had lived in the house for over 30 years prior to the offences.

Defence counsel, Mr Conor Devally SC (with Mr David Hegarty BL), said Murray came from a large family with few opportunities and had been expelled from school aged eight after which he attended a school for children with behavioural problems.

Mr Devally said Murray had spent a large bulk of his adulthood in custody and would continue to be a menace to those around him unless he dealt with his drug addiction, and asked that the court "structure an appropriate sentence".