Rapist jailed for bomb threat against Irish minister

A bomb threat was phoned in to the house of Ireland's minister for justice, Helen McEntee

A man has been given a two-year jail sentence for phoning in a false bomb threat at the home of Ireland's minister for justice.

Michael Murray, 54, is already serving a prison term for rape, harassment and making death threats.

He will have the two-year sentence added to his current term.

Murray phoned in the bomb threat against Minister Helen McEntee from his cell in the Midlands Prison, Portlaoise.

Formerly of Seafield Road, Killiney, Dublin, he was found guilty of knowingly making a false report giving rise to an apprehension for the safety of someone else.

Murray had denied the charge.

His trial heard that on 7 March 2021 a call was made to the Samaritans by an anonymous male asking if they could take a message.

The caller then said it was the INLA and that explosives had been planted at the home of the minister for justice.

Gardaí (Irish police) attended Fine Gael politician Ms McEntee's home but found no evidence of explosives.

The trail in Dublin heard that the call placed to the Samaritans had been traced to Murray's prison cell.