Courts

Man threatened to kill UHL doctor due to false belief he had sexually assaulted his partner

Judge gives three-year suspended sentence to Nathan Murphy (33) who ‘saw red’ when woman became upset after examination

Nathan Murphy went to University Hospital Limerick to confront a doctor who he wrongly believed had sexually assaulted his then partner
Nathan Murphy went to University Hospital Limerick to confront a doctor who he wrongly believed had sexually assaulted his then partner
David Raleigh
Wed Jan 29 2025 - 13:05

A man has been given a suspended three-year sentence after pleading guilty to threatening to kill a doctor who he wrongly believed had sexually assaulted his then partner during an examination at University Hospital Limerick (UHL).

Nathan Murphy (33), a father of three of Belfield Court, Farranshone, Limerick, had pleaded guilty to the offence at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court.

The court heard that Murphy’s then partner attended UHL on September 22nd, 2019 and requested a procedure, but was told it was not possible on the day.

She instead agreed to have a gynaecological examination, which was performed by a registrar with a midwife present.

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The court heard Murphy told gardaí after his arrest that the woman arrived at his house in a distressed state and said she had come from an examination at the hospital.

Murphy said he believed his partner had been sexually assaulted and went straight to UHL to confront the doctor.

The court heard Murphy waited for the registrar to return and held a chair over his head and threatened to throw it at him when he came into the room with two colleagues.

“I was in the doctor’s face, I was screaming, I said I was going to kill him, I didn’t mean it,” Murphy told gardaí.

John O’Sullivan BL, prosecuting, said there was “not the slightest foundation” to Murphy’s view that his then partner had been sexually assaulted. The woman later told gardaí she had no complaint about the examination.

Murphy said he later returned to the hospital to apologise to the doctor, but was told he was barred. The doctor and hospital staff told gardaí they were not aware of this happening.

Eimear Carey BL, for Murphy, said her client “completely misinterpreted” the situation on the day and “saw red”.

Murphy, who had 32 previous convictions for offences including burglary, theft and criminal damage, did not mean to put “anyone in fear” and is remorseful, she said.

Ms Carey said her client was in “the throes of a drug addiction at the time” but has turned his life around and has sole custody of his three children.

Judge Colin Daly said hospital staff would have been “pressurised enough” without facing threats to their safety. He said the doctor did not provide a victim impact statement but the episode “must have been deeply upsetting” for him.

He noted Murphy’s guilty plea, remorse, co-operation with gardaí, family circumstances and the fact he had since overcome his drug addiction as he imposed a three-year sentence fully suspended for three years.