Man left in agony after stab and f ire attack
A YOUNG man was clinging to life last night after being stabbed over 15 times and suffering 90 per cent burns to his body after his home was set alight in Co. Offaly.
Senior sources have revealed that Ciarán ‘Hairy’ Murphy is suspected of being targeted in a drugs feud. The 24-year-old was last night being treated in St James’s Hospital in Dublin.
The stabbing and subsequent fire occurred at the stone cottage where Mr Murphy was living in Rhode, Co. Offaly, between 1am and 2am yesterday.
Following the brutal attack, the young man managed to escape from the blazing house and was found by a neighbour in the garden, bleeding heavily and badly burned.
Investigating officers believe that his attacker broke into the house, stabbed him more than 15 times and then set the house alight in an attempt to ‘finish him off ’.
Sources said last night it was ‘touch and go’ whether the father of one would survive. He also bred pit bulls, up to ten of which are believed to have perished in the blaze.
It is understood that Mr Murphy has been embroiled in a row with a Co. Westmeath criminal, to whom he owes money. Gardaí suspect he may have been targeted by this criminal in this attack. Mr Murphy is known to gardaí and has a number of criminal convictions. He received a six-month suspended sentence at Tullamore Circuit Court in July 2014 and has convictions for drug possession, assault and attempted robbery. Sources described the victim as a ‘mid-level drug dealer’ who was ‘in debt to a number of individuals’.
A source added: ‘He had gotten himself into trouble with money owed to dealers. But the attack was unjustifiable and barbaric.
‘The suffering he is enduring is severe. It is a distinct possibility that he will not survive this. His ten dogs were not so lucky.’
Mr Murphy has been on the radar of local gardaí all summer. In May of this year, a house linked to him was searched and cannabis and cocaine were uncovered. However, he was not charged.
Inspector Kieran Keyes, of Tullamore Garda Station, said: ‘I am appealing for witnesses or anyone with i nformation, particularly those who may have been in the Rhode area of Co. Offaly last night or early this morning, between 12 midnight and 2am Monday, September 7, 2015, to contact gardaí at Tullamore Garda Station on 057-9327600, the Garda Confidential Line, 1800 666111, or any garda station.’