Courts

Car thief pleads guilty to manslaughter of business man as he stole his vehicle

Adam Murphy (22) of Cherry Orchard Crescent, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10, pleaded guilty to one count of the manslaughter of Ian McDonnell

Ian McDonnell suffered catastrophic injuries during the theft of his car at Robinhood Road near the car dealership which he managed, and died at Tallaght Hospital five days later on January 28th

Claire Henry
Thu Dec 21 2023 - 19:38

A car thief will be sentenced in February for the manslaughter of a businessman as he stole his vehicle.

Adam Murphy (22) of Cherry Orchard Crescent, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10, pleaded guilty to one count of the manslaughter of Ian McDonnell on January 23rd, 2022.

He further pleaded guilty to two counts of attempting to take a vehicle, three counts of stealing three vehicles, one count of attempting to steal property from a vehicle and one count of stealing a push bike at various locations throughout Dublin on the same date.

His co-accused, Keith McCormick Smith (22) of Riverview, Church Road, Mulhuddart, Dublin 15, pleaded guilty to two counts of attempting to take a vehicle, three counts of stealing three vehicles, one count of attempting to steal property from a vehicle, and one count of stealing a push bike at various locations in Dublin on January 23rd, 2022.

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He further pleaded guilty to one count of possession of stolen property in the form of a car key at his address on February 8th, 2022.

Mr McDonnell stopped at his business, Ozone Car Sales, on Robinhood Road, Dublin 22, on the day in question. He pulled his car onto the forecourt and left the car running while he went inside.

Murphy and McCormack-Smith were seen on CCTV on Robinhood Road. They were driving a car they had stolen earlier in the afternoon. They could be seen driving past the car garage, doing a U-turn and finally pulling into a nearby business.

Murphy got out of the car and got into Mr McDonnell’s car. He began driving off in the car with Mr McDonnell on the bonnet. The car could be seen accelerating, and Mr McDonnell was carried 46 metres. He was then thrown from the bonnet of the car and onto the roadway. His body travelled along the road for nine metres. Murphy then drove away, leaving Mr McDonnell on the road.

CCTV footage of the incident was played privately to Judge Dara Hayes.

Passersby came upon Mr McDonnell and called the emergency services. He was taken to Tallaght Hospital, but never regained consciousness. He died on January 28th, 2022.

Mr McDonnell’s car was found a few days later by gardaí in the Walkintown area.

Detective Sergeant Aiden Shaughnessy told David Perry, BL, prosecuting, that on the day in question, between 4pm and 9pm, Murphy and McCormack-Smith stole three cars and attempted to steal two more.

CCTV showed the two men in a carpark in Cherrywood. McCormack-Smith was seen on CCTV approaching a car and interfering with one of the windows. However, he failed to gain entry.

At approximately 4pm on the same day, both men were again captured on CCTV entering an apartment complex car park on Whitehall Road. The men left the car park a short time later and appeared on CCTV at 5.55pm when Murphy was now cycling a red bicycle. This was the first time he was seen cycling this bike, and gardaí believed it had been stolen.

The men then returned to the apartment complex car park and stole a Toyota that Murphy drove.

The court heard Murphy was arrested on February 16th, 2022. He was interviewed on four occasions. During his second interview, he said, “I accept what happened on the night; it should have never happened. It all happened so fast”.

He also said, “If I had seen him on the bonnet, I would have stopped”.

McCormack-Smith was arrested on February 14th, 2022. He was detained and interviewed on four occasions. He made full admissions and said, “We set out to rob a car. We didn’t set out to kill anyone”. He said, “I might seem like a scumbag, but I have emotions”.

All three of Mr McDonnell’s children made victim impact statements.

Mr Perry read the statement on behalf of Mr McDonnell’s 18-year-old daughter Clodagh. She said her mother received a call, and “it shattered our family forever”.

She recalled seeing her dad, “his head covered in blood.” She said, “he was pale and lifeless and that this was an image that no daughter should have to witness”.

“I whispered one last time, ‘I love you’ into his ear”. She recalled “grown men weeping” beside her father’s casket. She described having to do her Leaving Cert and said, “Dad gave me the strength I needed”.

A victim impact statement from Mr McDonnell’s son Gareth (17) was also read to the court. He said he and his father were “really into cars” and would go to car shows.

Mr McDonnell’s wife, Monica, read her statement to the court and said they were “childhood sweethearts”.

She said, “when Ian died, part of me died that night as my heart belonged to him.”

Dominic McGinn, SC, defending Murphy said his client was genuinely remorseful.

Carol Doherty, BL, defending McCormick Smith, said her client has shown remorse throughout this process and taken responsibility for his actions.

Judge Dara Hayes adjourned the matter for finalisation until February 12, 2024.

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