Dance mentor’s tragic end in London kindles memories
During this year’s Planet FM — an Auckland-based community radio station — Christmas party, I waxed lyrical about my Irish heritage with a fellow Irishman. He asked if I had done Irish dancing — I had — and whether I was involved in the Auckland dance community. I was not, but I had a teacher — Adrian Murphy — who would commute to Tauranga.
Murphy was a big noise at the time. On top of his charm and talent, he was a seven-time all-Ireland dance champion who produced and choreographed the likes of Feet of Fire, Celtic Dance Force, and Firedance. He established the Modern Dance Education Syllabus in 1999, and toured Europe with Ceoltais Ceoltaoire Na Erin.
It was with shock and sadness I learned Murphy was murdered in London last year. The news made waves in the United Kingdom and Ireland, but not here — though he created seven dance schools across the country and Australia in the late 90s and early 2000s.
The 43-year-old was found dead in a friend’s south London flat in June 2019, the Croydon Crown Court heard in late October.
Joel Osei, 25, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and an alternative charge of administering poison, with intent to injure, as well as seven counts of fraud. He denied two counts of theft. Diana Cristea, 18, admitted one count of fraud and two counts of handling stolen goods.
Osei used a dating app to contact Murphy before poisoning him with scopolamine in a soft drink. Tests found the poison in Murphy’s system and traces in a nearby drinks can.
CCTV footage showed Osei leaving the flat with stolen goods. Osei messaged Cristea 23 times during the visit and later gave her phones, bank cards, designer goods, and laptops. They tried to buy £60,000 ($111,890) worth of diamonds with Murphy’s credit card. They will be sentenced this week.
Murphy left New Zealand to be a dance instructor and choreographer at the Royal Academy of Dance in London and was on a year-long sabbatical. My first instinct when I heard, was “if only he had stayed in New Zealand” — but dating-app related deaths are not new to New Zealand.
He made an impact on me as an 8-year-old. During his lessons I made one of my oldest friends — I recall the time she wore a home-made headscarf, to which my mother said I could probably make a better one. I tried, and failed. Said friend and I still laugh about the fashion faux pas and Murphy’s zest for dance.
When Murphy disestablished his commuting, I stopped Irish dancing — but the experience led me to pursue years of ballet, tap, and jazz (much to my mother’s disdain in a financial and cultural sense).
This love of dance in turn led to a performing arts degree and a lifetime love of sewing. Thanks to Adrian Murphy I have many happy memories.
More on Tauranga
The developer and company behind the sad Bella Vista Homes subdivision saga has been convicted of breaching the Building Act.
Tauranga City Council laid 19 charges against Bella Vista Homes Ltd and its director Danny Cancian, the Engineer Ltd and its director Bruce Cameron, and blocklayer Darrel Joseph. The charges related to allegedly did building work outside the Building Act, and not in line with building consent or approved plans. Cancian and Bella Vista Homes Ltd — now in liquidation — defended its seven charges.
Judge Paul Mabey QC found Cancian and Bella Vista Homes guilty of three charges, Joseph was convicted of three; and Cameron and the Engineer Ltd were guilty of six. Nominal sentencing will take place in January.
The Bay of Plenty Times reported the Tauranga City Council spent more than $1.6 million in six months dealing with the failed development and the fallout.
If you’ve got any tips, legal tidbits, or appointments that might be of interest, please email Sasha — on sasha.borissenko@gmail.com