Galway Bay fm newsroom – A electrician with a gambling addiction, who placed bets of up to €8,000 at a time, with money conned from family friends, is to be sentenced tomorrow.
44-year old, James Murphy, from Curraghduff, Newbridge, Co. Galway, appeared before Galway Circuit Criminal Court yesterday for sentence.
James Murphy pleaded guilty last July to stealing €60,000 from an Oranmore couple who work in Dubai, on December 21st, 2011.
He also pleaded guilty to stealing a further €59,000 belonging to the same couple at Bank of Ireland, Mountbellew, on January 31st, 2012.
Murphy further pleaded guilty to stealing €50,000 from another couple at Corrib Park, Newcastle, on June 12th, 2013.
Garda John Leahy said the accused was in a relationship at the time with the sister of the man who worked in Dubai.
He also got to know the other man as the man’s partner was the accused’s first cousin.
Garda Leahy said Murphy fabricated stories claiming he could secure a NAMA site for the Dubai couple who dreamed of coming home and building their own dream home.
Detective Garda Gerry Carroll said the accused told the other couple that if they gave him €50,000, he would invest it for them and they would get an almost 50 pecent return after three months.
The site was never purchased and the other 50 thousand euro was never invested.
It transpired Murphy was spending the money to feed his gambling habit.
He brought €20,000 to court yesterday to offer to the victims.
Defence barrister, Brendan Browne said his client would repay the money as he was working around the clock.
Judge Karen O’Connor said the charges represented a gross breach of trust.
Sentencing is due tomorrow.