SOME MEMBERS of the media had been camped out since Tuesday waiting for the moment, but when it finally came, the exit from the prison gates of rapist Larry Murphy was over in a few seconds.
His short walk to freedom from the main gate of Dublin’s Arbour Hill Prison to a waiting taxi at 10.15am was illuminated by rapid-fire flash photography from within the 50-strong waiting media scrum.
Some members of the public, about 10, shouted obscenities as Murphy emerged from the prison that had held him since 2000.
Wearing black sunglasses, a navy baseball cap and black hoodie top, the Wicklow carpenter said nothing as journalists shouted questions at him.
About 10 uniformed gardaí were on duty outside the prison and crowd control barriers had been placed on the road to keep it clear for the taxi that collected the father of two.
Carrying a large black sports bag containing his possessions from his 10½ years in jail, Murphy (45) was driven from the prison on Arbour Hill in the north inner city towards the Phoenix Park.
He was followed through the morning traffic by two photographers on motorcycles as the Garda helicopter monitored the pursuit.
Murphy was driven towards the city centre and on to Coolock on the north side of Dublin.
There he presented himself to gardaí at the local station. This was despite him being free to go where he pleased, with no obligation for another seven days to inform gardaí where he is living.
While it was first believed he had gone to the Garda station to complain about being followed, it subsequently emerged that the taxi he had used to leave the prison was being shadowed by undercover gardaí in unmarked Garda cars.
This was part of a Garda plan to ensure members of the force monitored Murphy’s taxi until he was able to escape from any pursuing media.
The plan was put in place because gardaí were fearful that if Murphy was followed to and pictured at a particular address, he might be attacked there by members of the public.
Murphy left Coolock in the taxi and was driven back into Dublin city centre, still being pursued by the photographers’ motorbikes and shadowed by the undercover gardaí.
He was driven towards Grafton Street, where he got out of the taxi and disappeared into the crowds on a pedestrianised street just before 1pm.
Garda sources last night said Murphy was tracked throughout yesterday and they were satisfied they knew where he was due to stay last night. Because he is a sex offender, he must inform gardaí within the next seven days where he is residing.
Gardaí are not permitted to disclose this information but they will use it to monitor him closely.
Murphy applied for a driving licence and passport while in jail and he can now travel anywhere in the EU.
Fine Gael’s Charlie Flanagan TD says the standard entitlement of 25 per cent remission – time off for good behaviour – should be earned and should not be an automatic right, as it is now.
The Labour Women chairwoman Katherine Dunne has called for the electronic tagging of sex offenders. She has also called for stronger measures in relation to sex offenders being obliged to tell gardaí where they are living.
