A Co Wicklow man has been jailed for 15 years on each of six charges of kidnapping, raping and attempting to murder a Carlow businesswoman.
Lawrence Murphy (36), Woodfield, Baltinglass, tied and gagged the woman and carried her in the boot of his car 23 miles from Carlow. He raped her four times and put a black plastic bag over her head.
He was attacking the woman in a remote area of west Wicklow when two local men arrived by chance and he fled the scene, but Murphy was recognised.
He pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin to four charges of raping the woman, one of false detention and one of attempted murder on February 11th, 2000. Murphy, married and a father of two, also pleaded guilty to assaulting her causing harm and to robbing her of £700 on the same date.
Mr Justice Carney imposed sentences of four years and three years on the assault and robbery charges. All are to run concurrently and to date from February 11th, 2000.
He suspended the final year of each due to Murphy's early guilty plea which meant he had not occupied a trial date and so freed a slot "to allow the court deal with some other violent person".
Mr Justice Carney said the details of the crimes as outlined were "truly horrific". "I find little point in saying that this was one of the worst cases to come before the court because my experience is that when I do that a probably worse case comes before me the following week."
Insp Patrick Mangan told Mr George Birmingham SC, prosecuting, that the victim was confronted by Murphy in a car-park just after she closed her shop for the day. She carried the £700 takings in her handbag.
When she refused to give him the takings, he punched her on the face, fracturing her nose. She fell back, stunned, into her car and Murphy grabbed her by the throat and forced her over to the passenger seat.
Insp Mangan said Murphy got her car keys and drove a short distance while restraining her. He forced her to remove her bra and used it to tie her hands and gagged her mouth with a headband. He then removed her boots, and his fingerprints were later found on them.
Murphy forced the woman into the boot of his car and drove off with the radio playing loudly to a remote place called Beaconstown. This was almost nine miles from Carlow.
He took her from the boot of the car, undid the bra from her hands, sexually assaulted and then raped her.
Insp Mangan told Mr Birm ingham that Murphy dressed the victim again and tied her hands so tight they turned blue. She protested and he loosened the bind. He put her back into the boot and drove off again for about 14 miles to another remote place called Kilranelagh, in the Wicklow forest area.
Murphy once again took the woman from the boot and put her into the passenger seat where he sexually assaulted her. Insp Mangan said the woman told gardai he was very aggressive at this stage. He spoke about his family who he said he would never see again. She began to fear for her life.
He tied her hands again, this time using the head-band, and placed her bra in her mouth as a gag before putting her back into the car boot. She managed to free her hands a little and unsuccessfully tried to spray Murphy with an aerosol can she found in the boot. He pushed her farther back into the boot.
Murphy then placed a black plastic bag over her head while she continued to struggle and get her legs out over the boot. She felt light-headed and semiconscious at this stage.
Insp Mangan said the woman then noticed vehicle lights coming in their direction, and Murphy fled. The approaching vehicle was driven by two local men out "lamping" foxes and they helped her.
The two men recognised Murphy and were able to give his name to gardai. He was arrested the following morning at his home and made admissions in statements taken during interviews. Murphy told gardai about his movements the previous day and about meeting the victim. He said he did not know why he had done what he did to the woman.
He bought a bottle of whiskey afterwards and drank some of it before going home to bed. He said he had been expecting the gardai and before going off with them told his wife: "I raped a girl last night".
Insp Mangan said Murphy was a self-employed carpenter who owned his own house. He had never before come to Garda notice.
Mr Birmingham told Mr Justice Carney that the victim did not want to give evidence. There was a victim impact report before the court.
Mr Patrick Gageby SC, defending, submitted that Murphy had expressed remorse. He had not attempted to conceal any of the evidence and made statements. Before this incident Murphy had been "a completely ordinary, respectable human being" who had no previous convictions.
His statements revealed he still did not know why he had perpetrated these acts. He pleaded for such leniency as the court could offer.