A serial arsonist who killed his uncle after setting his house ablaze in Co Cavan in an act of revenge has been jailed for seven-and-a half-years for manslaughter.
Sentencing Murray at the Central Criminal Court yesterday, Mr Justice Paul McDermott said the accused held "a degree of animus" from time to time against his uncle Patrick Oliver Murray and he had demonstrated a level of indifference to what happened that night.
The court was previously told that the defendant, Daniel Murray, aged 40, was more concerned about the welfare of the family dog when informed that a body had been discovered in the burnt-out home.
The judge pointed out that the defendant had benefited from his uncle's generosity when he was allowed to stay in his house and that was how he came to be there that night.
Daniel Murray was charged with the murder of Patrick Oliver Murray on August 2, 2018, at Derrylurgan, Ballyjamesduff, Co Cavan after telling gardai the house “went up like a matchbox” when he set fire to some sheets with a lighter. He denied the murder charge when he appeared before Mr Justice McDermott at the Central Criminal Court earlier this month, admitting manslaughter instead.Murray, of no fixed abode, had also admitted arson intending to endanger the life of another, at the same date and place. His plea was accepted by the State at a hearing last September.The court has heard that Murray has 48 previous convictions, several of which were for arson attacks carried out at nearby properties.
Before delivering the sentence yesterday, Mr Justice McDermott said he had received a number of reports concerning the defendant, including a probation report, a psychological assessment and a letter of apology from him for the death of his uncle.
Passing sentence, the judge said Murray held a degree of animus against his uncle from time to time but he had no intention to kill him.
The judge said the facts underpinning the case suggested a level of offending of "a very serious and reckless kind" and it was unfortunate that his uncle had gone to sleep in the house that night.
Despite Murray expressing his remorse for the incident, the judge said the nature and extent of the offending was of a "very serious kind" which had led to the death of his uncle and the taking of a life.
In mitigation, the judge noted his guilty plea to manslaughter, his sincere remorse for killing his uncle and the fact he is an alcoholic and drug abuser.
In addition, the court heard that Murray is also engaged with addiction services and open to residential and community support.
Murray was sentenced to nine years in prison, with the final 18 months suspended for a period of 18 months. It was backdated to when he went into custody on August 3, 2021.
