A Violent Attack on Gardai in Temple Bar
A violent criminal who was on the run from prison when he brutally attacked gardai in Temple Bar has been jailed for nine years. Kevin Murphy (34) of North Frederick Street, Dublin 1, was this week jailed over the savage attack on two off-duty gardai which occurred in Dublin's Temple Bar on December 14, 2024. It is understood that Murphy, who has over 100 previous convictions, was at large from Cloverhill Prison in Dublin at the time of the attack — in which one of the victims said he was "left to die on the street."
Murphy was jailed this week for the brutal and unprovoked attack against Garda Paul McAuley and Garda Stephen Walsh, who were on a night out and making their way home along Eustace Street in Temple Bar shortly after 1am when it occurred. As the pair walked down the street, Murphy approached Garda McAuley and punched him in the face — knocking him to the ground.
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Garda McAuley hit his head on the curb and was knocked unconscious in the incident — and later required serious surgery to his skull. The attack left Garda McAuley in a coma and fighting for his life. Garda Walsh attempted to confront Murphy — but another man, Jonathan O'Neill, punched him in the back of the head and knocked him to the ground. O'Neill (35) of Cromcastle Road in Kilmore, who has been separately jailed over this incident for three years and three months, kicked Garda Walsh in the head during the course of the attack.
Kevin Murphy also stole Garda McAuley's wallet and phone as he lay unconscious on the ground. Gardai later obtained CCTV footage which showed the two men hours after the assault trying to use Garda McAuley's bank cards. They were subsequently identified and arrested days later.
Legal Consequences and Sentencing
Murphy ultimately pleaded guilty to causing serious harm to Garda McAuley at Eustace Street in the city centre on December 14, 2014. He also admitted assault causing harm to Garda Stephen Walsh at the same location on the same date and to two counts of theft and four charges of attempted theft.
He had previously been before the courts for a myriad of crimes from drugs to theft to assault and robbery. During this incident, he was unlawfully at large from Cloverhill prison — where he was to serve a five-month sentence for drug possession, theft, intoxication in a public place, and failing to appear in court.
He had been let out on temporary release but then failed to return prison when required. In a victim impact statement read out at the sentencing hearing, Garda McAuley said that he had been "left to die on the street" and that his life had been "turned upside down" following the unprovoked assault.
He said he had no chance to defend himself due to the sudden nature of the attack and suffered a fractured skull and bleeding to the brain. He added that due to the nature of his injuries, he should "realistically be dead" and commended the treatment he received from staff at Beaumont Hospital.
He also commended the garda investigation team from the Serious Crime Unit at Pearse Street garda station. Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced Murphy to nine years imprisonment for causing serious harm to Garda McAuley, four years for the assaulting Garda Walsh, while giving an 18-month sentence for the theft offences.
The jail terms will run concurrently — meaning they will be served together.
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