Woman acquitted of helping suicide backs drug courier
A WOMAN acquitted in 2015 of attempting to help in the suicide of her friend has appeared in court in support of a drug courier caught with nearly €300,000 worth of various substances.
Gail O’Rorke, wrote a letter in support of taxi driver Stephen Murphy who is facing a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence.
Ms O’Rorke was in court with her husband Barry. In a letter they told Judge Melanie Greally that Murphy has “lost so much of his life” as a result of the offence. They said they were life-long friends of the accused and pointed out that his son suffers from Crohn’s disease.
Murphy (44), of Dromcarra Avenue, Jobstown, Dublin, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply on North Road, Finglas, on May 13, 2015. He will be sentenced on March 10.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard Murphy was caught with ketamine, ecstasy tablets and cannabis in the boot of his taxi after a surveillance operation by the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.
Murphy was seen driving his taxi to the Kestrel Inn Pub and picking up another man, before driving to an underground car park. He was stopped and searched shortly afterwards.
Gardaí found ecstasy tablets and powder along with €103,200 worth of ketamine and €154,548 worth of cannabis. The total value of the drugs was €273,859.
Murphy told gardaí he picked up the drugs after receiving a call from a man who asked him if he was interested in picking up some “car parts”.
Defence counsel Roisin Lacey SC said the worst moment of Murphy’s life was when a passenger got in his taxi some months previously and started taking cocaine. Ms Lacey said Murphy had lived a blameless life until now and had an excellent work history. She appealed to Judge Greally not to impose the minimum 10-year sentence.