It is understood Murphy, who has over 100 previous convictions, was at large from Cloverhill Prison in Dublin<\/a> at the time of the attack – in which one of the victims said he was \u201cleft to die on the street.\u201d<\/p>\n He was jailed this week for the brutal and unprovoked attack against Garda Paul McAuley and Garda Stephen Walsh who were on a night out and making their way home along Eustace Street in Temple Bar shortly after 1am when it occurred.<\/p>\n As the pair walked down the street Murphy approached Garda McAuley and punched him in the face – knocking him to the ground. Garda<\/a> McAuley hit his head on the curb and was knocked unconscious in the incident – and later required serious surgery to his skull. The attack left Garda McAuley in a coma and fighting for his life.<\/p>\n Murphy was at large from Cloverhill Prison<\/p>\n Garda Walsh attempted to confront Murphy – but another man, Jonathan O\u2019Neill, punched him in the back of the head and knocked him to the ground.<\/p>\n O\u2019Neill (35) of Cromcastle Road in Kilmore, who has been separately jailed over this incident for three years and three months, kicked Garda Walsh in the head during the course of the attack. Murphy also stole Garda McAuley\u2019s wallet and phone as he lay unconscious on the ground.<\/p>\n Gardai later obtained CCTV footage which showed the two men hours after the assault trying to use Garda McAuley\u2019s bank cards. They were subsequently identified and arrested days later.<\/p>\n Murphy ultimately pleaded guilty to causing serious harm to Garda McAuley at Eustace Street in the city centre on December 14, 2014. He also admitted assault causing harm to Garda Stephen Walsh at the same location on the same date and to two counts of theft and four charges of attempted theft. He had previously been before the courts<\/a> for a myriad of crimes from drugs to theft to assault and robbery.<\/p>\n During this incident he was unlawfully at large from Cloverhill prison – where he was to serve a five month sentence for drug possession, theft, intoxication in a public place and failing to appear in court. He had been let out on temporary release but then failed to return prison when required.<\/p>\n In a victim impact statement read out at the sentencing hearing, Garda McAuley said that he had been \u201cleft to die on the street\u201d and that his life as been \u201cturned upside down\u201d following the unprovoked assault.<\/p>\n He said he had no chance to defend himself due to the sudden nature of the attack and suffered a fractured skull and bleeding to the brain.<\/p>\n He added that due to the nature of his injuries he should \u201crealistically be dead\u201d and commended the treatment he received from staff at Beaumont Hospital. He also commended the garda investigation team from the Serious Crime Unit at Pearse Street garda station.<\/p>\n Judge Patricia Ryan sentence Murphy to nine years imprisonment for causing serious harm to Garda McAuley, four years for the assaulting Garda Walsh, while giving an 18-month sentence for the theft offences.<\/p>\n The jail terms will run concurrently – meaning they will be served together.<\/p>\n![\"PICTURED:](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0_JS406833654.jpg\")
<\/p>\n