A VICIOUS serial rapist who attacked six women at knifepoint over five days in September 1995 has been jailed for 18 years by Mr Justice Lavan.
The court was told that, after the initial rape, Michael Murray was arrested. However, he was released to await a decision by the DPP on whether to press charges when he claimed his victim had consented to sex. Over the next few days, he attacked the other five women.
In the Central Criminal Court yesterday, Murray was given 10 concurrent terms of 18 years and three concurrent terms of three years by Mr Justice Lavan, who described the crimes as "horrific".
"Reading the statements of the six individual victims would almost render one speechless at the indignity, horror and terror they had been subjected to," he said.
Commenting on remorse expressed by Murray in a letter to the court, Mr Justice Lavan said he would in law have to give him the benefit of the doubt, but added: "I have doubts as to his remorse."
The court heard that Murray (36), a kitchen worker, originally of Patrick Street, Dublin, and formerly of Rollins Villas, Sallynoggin, had eight previous convictions.
In 1989 he was jailed for 8 1/2 years by a British court for rape and in April 1995 he received a four month sentence from Dun District Court for indecently exposing himself to a five year old girl and a three year old boy.
Last May Murray admitted carrying out the attacks on the women in the Dalkey Killiney area, and also in Rathmines and Monkstown between September 18th and 23rd, 1995.
He admitted 13 charges out of an original indictment of 30. He pleaded guilty to four counts of rape, two of aggravated sexual assault and seven of assault.
The assault charges refer to suffocation or strangulation of his victims to allow him to sexually assault or rape them. Murray also admitted charges of malicious wounding, wounding with intent to maim or disfigure, and possessing a knife with intent to intimidate.
Three of Murray's victims were present to hear the sentences handed down, but the other three were too traumatised to come to court, Mr Denis Vaughan Buckley SC, prosecuting, said.
Two of the victims told the court they felt they could have died during the attacks. They described suffering flashbacks, nightmares, mistrust, difficulties in relationships and bouts of crying as a result.
Supt Martin Donlan told the court one victim attacked near the Burlington Hotel on September 21st, 1995, feared she had only 30 seconds to live as Murray choked her.
She made an "OK" sign with her fingers, indicating she would not resist the assault. She continued screaming, however, and an off duty garda ran from his home to help her, but Murray calmly walked away. The woman is convinced her shouting saved her life, said Supt Donlan.
Another victim, who was attacked on Killiney beach, thought she was going to die as she felt herself about to black out while being choked, Det Sgt Gerard McDonald said.
Det Insp Eamonn O'Reilly told Mr Buckley (with Mr Paul McDermott) that five of the women were either raped or sexually assaulted by Murray and the sixth was severely wounded.
The first attack, on September 18th, 1995, was on a woman who had originally met the defendant a week before in a pub. He had stayed the night in her home and they had agreed to meet again on September 17th, but this date was forgotten by both.
At 1.30 am. on September 18th, 1995, Murray again called to her flat in Rathmines, and when she asked him to leave he forced himself on her and raped her. He subjected her to a vicious two hour sexual assault and mauled her throughout the night.
Det Insp O'Reilly said Murray raped her again the next morning and as he did so he told her he had served seven years in England for rape.
He was arrested after this but after making a statement alleging consent, was released to await the decision of the Director of Public Prosecutions in the case.
Following his release, Murray attacked another woman at 2.20 am. on September 21st 1995, at Bushfield Terrace. He grabbed her from behind put a knife to her throat, and threatened to stab her if she did not cooperate.
He forced her to masturbate him, and when she tried to defend herself he stabbed her seven times, puncturing a lung. He also tried to force his thumb down her throat and roll her tongue back to choke her.
Later that morning he got into the Monkstown flat of another woman he knew, pretending he needed to go to the toilet. The woman asked him to leave but let him go upstairs to the toilet first.
When he did not come down again, she went to check on him. Murray grabbed her and raped her at knife point, telling her he had already stabbed a woman that night.
On the evening of the same day, at about 9.15 p.m., he attacked another woman in Monkstown and wounded her hand with his knife before fleeing.
The next day Murray attacked a woman walking her dog on Killiney beach and subjected her to a sexual ordeal, including oral rape, before a passer by alerted two men and he ran off.
On September 23rd Murray grabbed another woman and tried to molest her. She bit his finger and two men came to her assistance.
Det Insp O'Reilly said Murray was arrested later on September 23rd, 1995, and after initially denying everything, eventually made a statement about his crimes.
Murray said he had drunk alcohol and smoked cannabis during his crime spree. He also said that on September 21st, 1995, he wrote a suicide note to his mother, apologising for bringing shame on the family.