No inquest into death of Limerick dad stabbed in UK

A COUNTY Limerick family grieving their son and brother stabbed to death in Manchester have spoken of their “disgust” at the treatment by authorities and say justice has not been served.

Father-of-two Tom Murphy, aged 42, from Ballyagran, died after he was stabbed 34 times with a kitchen knife by Stephen Owusu, 23, in a row about a broken plate in a shared rented house in September 2022.

Tom’s younger brother Darragh said the family wasn't consulted when the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the English equivalent of the DPP, decided to drop a murder charge and accept a plea to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility - paranoid schizophrenia.

At the court case in October 2023, a judge imposed a hospital order on Owusu. He was sent to a secure hospital indefinitely for treatment for his mental health disorder instead of going to jail.

The family say a week later they learned there will be no inquest held into Tom’s horrific death in Manchester. He had lived and worked in the telecommunications industry in the UK for over 20 years.

Darragh said they have written a letter to the CPS “about their lack of communication to us and making critical decisions without us”.

“The treatment has been nothing short of disgusting,” said Darragh.

In the early hours of Saturday, September 24, 2022 gardai knocked on the door of Tom’s parents house - Rose and Joe - to tell them he had been killed in Manchester.

“I live in my grandfather’s house which is 60 feet away from their house. It was 4am. My dad came to our door and told me. I’ll never forget that as long as I live - I can still feel my heart breaking at the door. I just broke down there and then, I think my knees gave way,” said Darragh.

In the following days, weeks and months the family tried to find out as much as they could about what happened.

“We started asking questions. The Greater Manchester Police said they couldn’t really tell us because if it got into the media it would jeopardise the case.

“We asked why did the man kill him and they said they believed it was over a broken plate. We were told all the questions we have will be answered at the inquest when the hearing was over,” said Darragh.

He said the family believes it should have stayed a murder charge.

“We weren’t told they were dropping the murder charge. The hearing only lasted two and a half hours. You had a couple of people reading out a few bits and pieces in a court, a nod of heads and out the door. Tom was stabbed 34 times. We couldn’t have an open coffin.

“There is no punishment. There was no justice, no penance to what he did, no remorse. He is sitting on a hospital wing. He is not in a cell,” said Darragh.

The Murphy family say they were told by those involved in the case that Owusu “was the most dangerous man on remand” in February 2023 but a few months later he was sent to a hospital instead of a prison.

Family and friends of Tom in the court were “herded like cattle” into a room after the case, he said. “It was to keep them away from the media. We were told we will get answers at the inquest. A week later we were sent one line to say there will be no inquest.

“How can you not have an inquest after a man was stabbed to death?” asked Darragh, who has hired a barrister and solicitor to represent the family in their quest for justice.

READ MORE: Man accused of assault and knife offences in Limerick further remanded

He said police didn’t ask any of Tom’s family, or friends - many of whom are from his days in Charleville CBS - if they spoke to him in the days before the fatal assault. Tom, one of three brothers with Darragh and Padraigh, was a bubbly, kind and gentle character.

“If you put him into a room of people that didn’t get on, they would all be talking when he went out the door. He was inspiring to me. He showed me the world. When Tom went to college it was like I went to college because I hung off him.

“I was his shadow. If you think of Del and Rodney, Batman and Robin, that was me and Tom. We went everywhere together,” said Darragh, who can remember the last time he was in touch with his older brother.

“I texted him the night before… We were looking for Peppa Pig mini figures you couldn't get in Ireland. My daughter was mad for Peppa Pig at the time. I asked him if he would go to John Lewis and get it. It was the last conversation I had with Tom and he said, ‘No bother’,” said Darragh.

The CPS told the Manchester Evening News the decision to reduce the charge “was communicated” to the family.

A spokesperson for Manchester City Council said: "The coroner is an independent judicial officer and is not in a position to comment, review or make a judgement on decisions made in court."

Darragh said the Murphy family vow to fight this and ensure that there is an inquest to get the answers to their questions and the full details of Tom's death.