An Irish man has been sentenced to 14-and-a-half years in prison for the rape, assault, false imprisonment, and coercive control of his former partner, Lisa O’Meara. Barry Murphy, 39, from Ballycumber, Co Offaly, was convicted by a jury at a trial earlier this year.
Victim Waives Anonymity, Urges Others to Seek Help
According to the Irish Independent, Ms O’Meara, who waived her right to anonymity so that Murphy could be named, delivered a powerful victim impact statement at the Central Criminal Court. Speaking outside the court, she urged other women in abusive relationships to “just leave,” stating that “it doesn’t get better, it just gets worse and worse.”
“I hope women in a similar situation will take from this that they can get out of a bad relationship, an abusive relationship, and get justice for themselves too,” Ms O’Meara said. “Don’t be afraid. Speak up.”
Coercive Control Criminalized in Ireland
Coercive control, a pattern of behaviour that includes intimidation, isolation, and control, was criminalized in Ireland under the Domestic Violence Act 2018. The offence carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. In this case, Murphy was convicted of coercively controlling Ms O’Meara over an 18-month period between January 1, 2019, and July 4, 2020.
Held Hostage in Her Own Home
The court heard that Murphy had effectively held Ms O’Meara hostage in her own home, with the front door “riveted shut” and no means of communication with the outside world. Gardaí had concerns for Ms O’Meara’s safety and were actively searching for her at the time.
Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo noted that the rapes and sexual assault happened when Ms O’Meara was effectively a hostage in her own home. He added that Murphy had restricted her movement and liberty over a two-year period.
Loss of Identity and Confidence
In her victim impact statement, Ms O’Meara described how the abuse had left her feeling worthless and with no confidence. “I cannot put into words what I went through,” she said. “It completely destroyed me.”
She told the court that Murphy had “ripped away my identity, little by little” and that she found herself “fighting every day to heal” from the trauma she had endured. Perpetrators of coercive control strip their partners of their sense of self and identity through tactics like undermining, judging, criticizing, gaslighting, and trivializing.
Sentencing and Mitigation
Mr Justice Naidoo imposed a global sentence of 15-and-a-half years, with the final year suspended on strict conditions. He acknowledged that Murphy had not pleaded guilty, did not accept the jury’s verdict, and had shown no remorse. In a disgraceful minimization of events, John Peart SC, defending, said it was simply a domestic situation that “got out of hand”.
The judge stated that the offences warranted significant prison time due to their serious nature and the ongoing coercive control exercised by Murphy.
Top image: Lisa O’Meara, who suffered coercive control and the hands of Barry Murphy. Source: Collins Courts.
