Man stabbed and set on fire after ex-girlfriend falsely said he was an informer

A low level drug dealer was stabbed 16 times in his Co Offaly home and set on fire after his ex-girlfriend spread a false rumour that he was a Garda informant.

The victim, Ciarán Murphy (29) was found in a dog cage in his home by a passers-by who noticed his cottage was in flames. He was left with life threatening injuries after he suffered 96 per cent burns from his neck down and multiple stab wounds including into his heart cavity.

Mr Murphy now has no ears and almost five years after the attack he is still bleeding from some of the wounds that cover his body.

On Tuesday David Keena (21) was remanded in continuing custody pending sentence later this month after he admitted that he was in the cottage when an older acquaintance, Shaun Groome (31) stabbed Mr Murphy and poured petrol over him.

Keena of Carrig Mor, Ballynacargy, Mullingar, Westmeath, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing serious harm and criminal damage by way of arson at Mr Murphy’s home on Coolcor, Rhode, Co Offaly on September 7th, 2015.

Anne Rowland SC, defending said that her client was accepting responsibility on the basis that he aided and abetted Mr Groome (31) of Ballinderry, Mullingar, Westmeath, who has yet to be prosecuted for his role as there is an outstanding warrant for his arrest.

Mr Groome had been charged with assault causing serious harm at a sitting in Tullamore District Court in November 2015.

Det Sgt Caroline Lyng agreed with Garrett McCormack BL, prosecuting, that Mr Murphy’s former girlfriend was high on drugs when she informed Mr Groome that the victim was a Garda informant.

Det Sgt Lyng confirmed there was no truth at all to this but the woman was concerned Mr Murphy was in danger of being attacked and believed that by spreading this rumour she was protecting him.

She said that Mr Murphy was known to local gardaí­ at the time as a low level drug dealer.

Det Sgt Lyng agreed with Ms Rowland that Mr Murphy was being supplied with drugs by a man named in court as “Mr C”. “Mr C” died unexpectedly and a drug debt of €2,500 that Mr Murphy owed him, was passed on to Mr Groome.

Mr Groome then began supplying Mr Murphy with cannabis and tablets and Mr Murphy, unable to pay for the drugs or the earlier debt, gave the man one of his dogs as part-payment.

Det Sgt Lyng agreed with Ms Rowland that on the night of the attack, Murphy’s former girlfriend told some people in a pub that Mr Murphy was a Garda informant. She was then told she needed to come into town “to talk to a friend of Mr C’s”.

The Det Sgt accepted a suggestion from counsel that the woman was then “frogmarched” into Mullingar to speak to Mr Groome. She was put into the back of a car and told the man that Mr Murphy was a Garda informant and he thanked her for telling him.

Mr Groome and Keena then drove out to Mr Murphy’s home, after buying a jerry can of petrol en route.

In a victim impact statement read out in court by Mr McCormack, Mr Murphy stated that he was viciously attacked that night and left to die alone. He said he had at one stage during his medical treatment been given a one per cent chance of survival.

He said there were times he wished he had not survived. He is “consumed” with fear, anxiety, panic attacks and his sleep pattern has never recovered.

Mr Murphy said he is in constant pain and left with mental scarring. He lost his hair and both ears and wears beanie hats 24/7 to protect himself from “public stares” and from his own reflection. He said he will never now be able to afford his own home or car because he is unemployable and described how his relationship with his young son has suffered.

“It breaks my heart that I will never be able to play football, hurling or swim with him,” Mr Murphy continued. He said the attack will “forever be etched in my mind”.

Judge Karen O’Connor adjourned the case to July 28th, 2020 for sentence.