Man jailed after assaulting family members on search for drug money

By Isabel Hayes

A man who broke into his childhood home, assaulted his grandfather and struck his aunt over the head with a metal pot has been jailed for 15 months.

Lee Murray (29) was shouting at his relatives to give him money for drugs when he carried out the assaults at their home in Blanchardstown on the night of October 2 last year, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on Friday.

Murray, formerly of Sheepmore Lawn, Blanchardstown, pleaded guilty to assaulting his grandfather and assault causing harm to his aunt at the same address. A number of other counts were taken into consideration.

He has 47 previous convictions, including assault and production of an article.

Garda Conor Finnegan told Edward Doocey BL, prosecuting, that around 11pm on the day in question, Murray smashed the window of the front door before letting himself into his former childhood home.

The court heard he had been raised by his grandfather and his aunt since he was a baby after his mother died of heroin overdose.

Murray was shouting at his relatives to give him money, and grabbed his grandfather by his top before telling his aunt to go upstairs. He then followed his aunt upstairs, carrying a metal pot and struck her over the head with it.

The woman fell to the ground and Murray struck her again over the head with the pot before his grandfather managed to separate them.

Gardaí were called and Murray fled the premises, but he returned again 45 minutes later and was arrested. He has been in custody ever since.

His aunt was offered an ambulance but declined to go to hospital. A photograph of her injuries was handed into court. Both she and the grandfather declined to make a victim impact statement.

Keith Spencer BL, defending, said his client had a longstanding drug addiction which had caused issues with his relatives. He was looking for money for drugs that night, the court heard.

Since being taken into custody, Murray has made “Trojan” efforts to rehabilitate himself and has taken a number of courses, the court heard.

Sentencing him on Friday, Judge Martin Nolan said it must have been a “shocking experience” for the aunt and Murray deserved a custodial term.

He handed down a 15-month term to start from Friday’s date.