One of Ireland’s most evil killers set to spend another five years behind bars
The most evil killer to ever walk the streets of Drogheda, Michael Murphy, is set to spend up to another five years at least in prison.It is understood that he has been refused parole and has not been granted any temporary day releases from jail - the first step in a prisoner's quest for freedom.Murphy, 65, is now one of the longest serving prisoners in the country having served twenty five years of a life sentence for the murder of German tourist Bettina Poeschel.He previously served nine years in custody for the 1983 manslaughter of pensioner Kitty Carroll, 65, who he attacked and choked to death on the Fair Green in Drogheda on her way home from bingo.It was the 25th anniversary of Bettina's murder on October 1 last year and Murphy has been in custody since he was arrested three weeks after her horrific death on October 21, 2001.Originally from Ballsgrove, Murphy was working on the construction of the M1 motorway when he saw the 28-year-old German girl walking out to Donore on her way to the Newgrange Bru Na Boinne visitors centre.#He went and got his car, abducted, raped and murdered her before dumping her body in a ditch near the village.A monument in her memory was later erected at the spot where her body was found.Locals put fresh flowers on it every few weeks and have never forgotten her.Murphy told Gardai during interviews to tell the girl's family he was sorry for what he did.In the years he was free between the time that he was released for Kitty's manslaughter and Bettina's murder he was suspected of attacking and sexually assaulting a number of women in the town.The violent brute has been detained at Arbour Hill Prison which houses all sex offenders while serving his life sentence.A prison source said: "There are no plans to free Michael Murphy. The Independent Parole Board is not prepared to let him out.“He has not even been granted temporary day release on his own which is normally the first step to freedom."He has been let out of jail to rebuild bridges with relatives and also for prayer group meetings but each time he was accompanied by three prison officers. This has only happened on a handful of occasions."Normally a lifer who is destined to be freed is moved to an open prison, either Shelton Abbey or Loughan House in Cavan and then freed within two or three years.Journalist Veronica Guerin’s killer Brian Meehan is currently going through that process and is expected to be freed before the end of this year.Sign up to our new Crime Ireland newsletter and get exclusive content from Michael O'Toole and Paul HealyThe Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every weekThey are granted temporary day releases from 7am to 7pm so that they can get accustomed to living back in normal society.However the prison sources say this has not happened in Murphy's case and is unlikely to for up to another five years.The source added: "Let's face it,this individual killed two people so why would the Parole Board take the risk of letting him back out on the streets again."He has proven twice that he is a danger to society so the view is for the moment he is better off locked up."He will serve at least 30 years or more before he is let out and they may well wait until he is seventy years of age or more."Various local people have claimed to have seen Murphy out and about in the locality in recent years but the reports were all untrue.He did go to a meeting in a local church once surrounded by prison guards.Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
