A MAN WITH “paranoid schizophrenia” who told gardaí that he killed his younger brother and attempted to kill his father whilst under the influence of “airwave manipulation” has been found not guilty by reason of insanity.

John Murphy Jnr (44) of Seaview in Carrigaline, Co Cork went on trial on Monday at a sitting of the Central Criminal Court in Cork. He was charged with the murder of his younger brother Shane (27) and the attempted murder of his father John Aloysius “Weeshie” Murphy Snr. Murphy Snr, who is a widower, was 75 years old when the attack occurred.

Murphy Jnr  (44) is also charged with two counts of producing a knife on the same occasion on 26 March, 2022 at the family home in Seaview.

The jury of seven women and five men took one hour and 43 minutes to return unanimous verdicts on all four charges. 

In her charge to the jury Justice Siobhan Lankford had said that both the psychiatrists for the accused and defence agreed that Murphy Jnr was entitled to the special verdict. She said that the psychiatrists were in agreement that the accused was suffering from a severe mental illness.

Justice Lankford thanked the jury for the diligence and attention during the ‘difficult, sad and emotive” case.

Prosecution barrister Jane Hyland, SC, made an application under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act of 2006 for Murphy Jnr to be clinically assessed at the Central Mental Hospital in order to decide on his present medical state.

Justice Lankford remanded Murphy Jnr in custody to the hospital to facilitate the preparation of a report on his condition. The case will be next before the court on 7 May next at 2pm.

Detective Garda Ian Breen previously told the court that John Murphy Snr was living with his sons John, Brian and Shane when the attack occurred in their semi-detached home on 26 March, 2022. Murphy Senior lost his wife, Marie, in 2012. Their son, Brian, was not at home when the attack occurred.

Det Garda Breen said that Murphy Snr was watching golf on television at 2.50am on 26 March, 2022 when his eldest son John came into his bedroom and told him to go into the house of a neighbour.

No explanation was furnished but “for the sake of peace” the pensioner began to get dressed. He said that John Murphy Jnr began to strangle his father. Dt Garda Breen said that Murphy Snr shouted for help from his son, Shane, who ran into the room to assist his father.

 “Weeshie escaped. (As he was escaping) Shane screamed he had been stabbed and to get an ambulance. It (going to the help of his father) was a selfless action (by Shane).”

He said that Murphy Jnr went out onto the street and stabbed his father before returning to continue his assault on Shane.

Neighbours said in garda statements that at around 2.50am they heard Shane Murphy shouting “Please stop, John I will do whatever you want.” They heard Shane repeat those words around ten times.

Det Garda Breen said that Shane made a 999 recording at 3.11am. During the “graphic recording” Shane was heard to be “terrified and retreating” and “begging John to stop.”

Shane said that he needed an ambulance. However, it is understood that he died during the emergency call.

Two gardaí from the Armed Support Unit were first at the scene. Det Garda Breen said that they found Shane Murphy “lying in a pool of blood.” Efforts were made to resuscitate him but Shane was formally pronounced dead shortly after 5am.

Dt Garda Breen said that a postmortem examination on the late Shane Murphy by Assistant State Pathologist, Dr Margaret Bolster revealed that he sustained nine stab wounds in the incident. This included a stab wound to the heart which was fatal and a potentially fatal injury to the left lung. Shane died of haemorrhage and shock.

John Murphy Snr staggered up the road to safety. A passing taxi driver Patrick Murphy stopped and went to his assistance. 

Murphy Snr told the taxi driver that his “young fella (his son John) had gone berserk” in the house. John Murphy Snr was hospitalised for ten days following the incident.

Det Garda Breen said that the accused went to the house of a friend in Carrigaline where he was captured “hyperventilating’ on doorbell CCTV. He said that John Murphy Jnr had ‘blood and mud’ on his hands.

He told his friend that he had intervened in a fight between his father and brother and that they were “both dead.” He insisted that the friend bring him to nearby Passage West. He alighted from the car during the journey and the friend called gardaí.

Shortly after 8am on 26 March, 2022 the accused was observed on Cork Street in Passage West Co Cork. Det Garda Breen said that he arrested Murphy Jnr on the street. He was sent to Cork University Hospital for a psychiatric assessment where he was deemed fit to be interviewed.

Det Garda Breen said Murphy Jnr was interviewed on three occasions. During garda interviews he accused gardai of “manipulation of the airwaves”. He admitted assaulting his father and stabbing Shane Murphy “six or seven times.” He said “it was either me or Shane, one of us had to die.”

The court heard that John Murphy Snr sustained serious injuries in the incident. This included a collapsed and lacerated left lung. He also had injuries to his liver and displaced fractured ribs. Det Garda Breen said that the pensioner was a “fit man” and made a good physical recovery. 

Det Garda Breen said that when John Murphy Jnr was first arrested he was “loud and abusive” in the garda van when he was being brought into custody. 

Creed said that his client was ‘singing in the van’ on the way to the garda station. He said his client was ‘lucid at times and agitated at times’ and engaged in ‘bizarre behaviour.’

Det Garda Breen said that Murphy Jnr was “sober and coherent” on the way to the garda station but was clearly “troubled.”

Defence psychiatrist Dr Stephen Monks said it was his belief that at the time of the offence Murphy Jnr was suffering from “a schizophrenic psychosis with hyper manic mood disturbance”.

He said that Murphy Jnr blamed “airwave manipulations” for his actions.

“He told me that airwave manipulation had destroyed his life. He gave a very detailed account of airwave manipulation. Airwave manipulation was the term he used to describe hearing voices and thoughts.” 

“He told me, ‘airwave manipulation has destroyed my life. Airwave manipulation made me do things. I am aware of it a few years and it made me kill my brother’. 

“He said that the Irish army and the Ukrainian army were trying to kill him.”

Dr Monks said that the accused told him that “airwave manipulation” had made him grab a knife on the night of the murder.

Meanwhile, the late Shane Murphy was a well known pitch and putt player who won the All Ireland title on two separate occasions. He was among the top ten pitch and putt players in Ireland.

His funeral mass in the Church of Our Lady and St John in April 2022 heard of Shane Murphy’s close bond with his father, Weeshie, who introduced him to pitch and putt.

John Treacy, Chairman of Rocklodge Pitch and Putt Club in a eulogy recalled Shane’s successes with Raffeen Creek and Rocklodge clubs all over Ireland.

“Apart from his love of friends, family and his beloved Liverpool, Shane had one other passion, a passion he shared with Weeshie, a sport that brought father and son together and allowed Weeshie show his pride in his son’s achievements every time they set foot on a pitch and putt course.

“Shane was a champion, one of the best of his generation, having achieved so much in the sport of pitch and putt in such a short time – he was foremost a competitor, displaying a natural talent that was the envy of pitch and putt players all over the world,” said Treacy.

“We remember when he became a national champion. That hug between father and son told of the pride and the bond that they shared together. No one was happier than Weeshie.”