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Man jailed for money laundering after wife stole €800k from Virgin Media

John Murray (43) was sentenced to two years in prison.

Court Reporter

Today at 17:00

A Dublin man whose wife stole over €800,000 from Virgin Media where she worked in payroll has been jailed for money laundering.

John Murray (43) of Kilfenora Rd in Kimmage, pleaded guilty to three sample counts, representing ten charges of possessing the proceeds of crime, on dates between January 2009 and July 2019.

He was sentenced to two years in prison after Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that his wife transferred a total of €872,470 to his Bank of Ireland account over the ten-year period.

The court heard that Murray’s wife, Kellie Walton (42), had been employed as payroll administrator for the company formerly known as TV3, apart from two periods when she took maternity leave.

Over the decade, Walton transferred an average of €80,000 a year to her husband’s account, most of which was spent on foreign holidays, premium TV channels and phone subscriptions.

Passing sentence today, Judge Martin Nolan said Murray should have known at a very early stage that his wife was stealing and that it was “very reckless” of him to have let it continue.

He noted that the couple, who have four children, had squandered all the monies.

When counsel for the defence commented that there was a “tragic quality” to the fact that the couple had been left with nothing, Judge Nolan suggested that it was perhaps more “tragicomic”.

Judge Nolan said Murray has no record of conviction, a very good work history and an impressive array of references on his behalf.

He sentenced him to two years in prison.

The court heard that Walton was sentenced in January 2023 to four years in prison, with the final two years suspended.

She has already been released and is working part-time in a barbershop, the court heard.

He noted that the couple, who have four children, had squandered all the monies.

When counsel for the defence commented that there was a “tragic quality” to the fact that the couple had been left with nothing, Judge Nolan suggested that it was perhaps more “tragicomic”.

Judge Nolan said Murray has no record of conviction, a very good work history and an impressive array of references on his behalf.

He sentenced him to two years in prison.

The court heard that Walton was sentenced in January 2023 to four years in prison, with the final two years suspended.

She has already been released and is working part-time in a barbershop, the court heard.

Virgin Media remains at a “substantial loss”, Judge Nolan said.

Gda Jennings agreed with Dean Kelly SC, defending, that the money had been “squandered” as it was coming in, mostly on sales transactions.

The court heard that some months, Murray’s bank account was overdrawn by a couple of hundred euro.

Gda Jennings also agreed that the scheme was Walton’s “brainchild” and that it wasn’t executed or organised by Murray.

Mr Kelly said Murray has been working consistently since he left school at the age of 15, including in car valeting, Rentokil and most recently at a hire company where he has worked for the last five years.

The court heard that Murray’s employer, who is aware of the charges, wrote a lengthy letter to court explaining that Murray is in a trusted financial position within the company, that he is a keyholder and handles cash.

Two medical reports were also handed into court, showing that Murray has been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease for which he has been hospitalised. He is also on anti-depressants after suffering a depressive breakdown, the court heard.