The rapist convicted of threatening to kill two barristers is under another investigation – for a sick bomb threat to Justice Minister Helen McEntee.
The Irish Mirror can reveal that twisted Michael Murray – found guilty by a jury on Monday after a 15-day trial – was arrested in his prison cell in March by gardai probing the sinister threat against Ms McEntee, who was heavily pregnant at the time and is now on maternity leave.
Murray, 50, formerly of Seafield Road, Killiney, Co Dublin, had pleaded not guilty to threatening to kill Dominic McGinn SC and his colleague Tony McGillicuddy BL.
He also denied harassing the woman he was convicted of raping by posting her name and phone number online in an ad offering her as a prostitute, and doing the same to Dominic McGinn and his own defence solicitor in his 2013 trial.
But following a 15-day trial at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, a jury of eight men and four women took one hour and 13 minutes to reach unanimous verdicts in respect of both charges of making threats to kill and the three charges of harassment.
He will be sentenced at a later date, but faces up to another 10 years in jail – on top of the 19 years he is currently serving for his 2013 rape conviction.
But it can now be revealed that he is also under criminal investigation for the March 7 alert at Ms McEntee’s home in Co Meath.
We have confirmed that Murray was arrested in his cell at the Midlands Prison in Portlaoise over the threat.
Sources have confirmed that the pervert was taken from the Midlands Prison after gardai in Co Meath investigating the March 7 call obtained a special warrant from a district court judge that allowed them to arrest him in custody.
He was then taken to Portlaoise Garda Station, where he was grilled by detectives for several hours– before being sent back to the custody of the Prison Service.
Sources say Murray repeatedly denied making the threat – but also launched a bizarre rant about the government when he was being questioned by gardai.
He was released without charge, but the Garda investigation is continuing and officers are now preparing a file for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Gardai rushed to the minister’s home after the Samaritans received a phone call claiming a bomb had been left there.
Although the caller did not claim to be from a terror group, the caller did mimic them by giving a codeword in his message – just like the Real IRA and other organisations.
It’s understood gardai believe the caller did that to come across as more authentic – and cause a more serious response by officers.
Gardai searched around the minister’s house in Co Meath following the call but nothing was found and officers are satisfied it was just a hoax.
Garda Special Branch and local gardai began a full investigation and Murray was arrested in the Midlands Prison on March 26.
That prison is home to hundreds of sex offenders, including more than 180 rapists.
