Sunday 1 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 22602Assault causing serious harm (stabbing and setting alight) · Co. Offaly · 6 Sep 2015

Court of Appeal dismisses Shaun Groome's appeal against 15-year sentence for Offaly assault

The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal of Shaun Groome, 34, against his 15-year sentence for assault causing serious harm in which Ciarán Murphy was stabbed 16 times and set alight at Coolcor, Rhode, Co Offaly, in September 2015. The three-judge panel, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, upheld the sentence, with Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy describing the victim's injuries as 'truly shocking, devastating and had caused life-long injury'.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced30 Jan
    2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
38 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatGroome was sentenced in December 2020 at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for the attack. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatGroome told gardaí he had not been happy with the victim's response to the death of a close friend. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatKeena bought a can of petrol and travelled with Groome to Mr Murphy's address. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatBoth men entered the premises and Groome repeatedly stabbed Mr Murphy before pouring petrol on him. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatKeena threw the can into a stove which caused Mr Murphy to be set alight. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatMr Murphy spent significant time in hospital with life-threatening injuries, lost his ears, and continues to suffer constant pain. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe victim was stabbed 16 times in his own sitting room before being set alight. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatKeena bought a can of petrol and travelled with Groome to the victim's address. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatGroome repeatedly stabbed the victim before pouring petrol on him, and Keena threw the can into a stove causing the victim to be set alight. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatThe victim spent a significant time in hospital with life-threatening injuries, lost his ears, and continues to suffer constant pain. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whatThe victim incurred severe knife injuries and burns to 96% of his body. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whereGroome is from Ballinderry, Mullingar, Co Westmeath. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whereDavid Keena is from Carrig Mor, Ballynacargy, Mullingar. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whereThe attack took place at Coolcor, Rhode, Co Offaly. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whenShaun Groome was sentenced in December 2020 at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whenThe attack occurred between September 6 and 7, 2015. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • causeGroome told gardai he was not happy with the victim's response to the death of a close friend. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • causeGroome's alcohol and drug addiction led to a drug-debt which was the whole background to the offence. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • chargeGroome pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing serious harm at Coolcor, Rhode, Co Offaly between September 6 and 7, 2015. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • courtDesmond Dockery SC appeared for Groome at the Court of Appeal. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • sentenceKeena was jailed in October 2020 for five years for his role in the attack. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • sentenceThe headline sentence was set at 20 years' imprisonment. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • sentenceThe sentence was reduced to 15 years with no suspended part. (leinsterexpress.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherThe Garda view was that Ciarán Murphy was a low-level drug dealer. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • otherGroome was acting on misinformation that Mr Murphy was a Garda informant. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • otherKeena was 17 at the time of the offence. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • otherGroome had absconded to the UK and had to be brought back on a European Arrest Warrant before pleading guilty. (leinsterexpress.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherGroome identified himself to gardaí on CCTV footage captured when walking around Mullingar on the night in clothes later found discarded on the road near the scene. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • otherCounsel said Groome could have been entitled to a 25 per cent discount on the guilty plea alone. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • otherThe trial judge identified Groome as capable of reform, noting a work history and completed Leaving Cert. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • otherThe Garda view was that the victim was a low-level drug dealer and Groome was acting on misinformation that the victim was a Garda informant. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherDavid Keena was 17 at the time of the offence and was jailed in October 2020 for five years. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherGroome had 14 previous convictions. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherGroome had sustained very severe burns to his legs. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherGroome was a father of two children, one of whom has autism. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherGroome had been the victim of abuse as a child between ages seven and eleven by an unrelated adult male. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherJudge Nolan said if fifteen years doesn't reform him, nothing will. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherGroome was being held in Portlaoise Prison on an enhanced landing. (offalyexpress.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 31 Jan2023
    Sentencedoffalyexpress.ie, follow-up
    Man loses appeal over attack in Offaly where he 'basically incinerated' stab victim

    Court of Appeal dismissed Groome's appeal against the length of his 15-year sentence, upholding the original December 2020 sentence by Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

    victim, Ciarán Murphy, male, irish (judged from name)Ciarán Murphyconvicted, Shaun Groome, 34, male, named, irish (judged from name)Shaun Groomeconvicted, David Keena, 17, male, named, irish (judged from name)David Keena
  2. 30 Jan2023
    Sentencedleinsterexpress.ie, follow-up
    Man loses appeal over midland attack where he 'basically incinerated' stab victim

    Detailed report of the Court of Appeal hearing, including full submissions by defence counsel Desmond Dockery SC and DPP counsel Garret McCormack BL, the judges' reasoning, and additional background on the attack and the victim's injuries.

    victim, Ciarán Murphy, male, irish (judged from name)Ciarán Murphyconvicted, Shaun Groome, 34, male, named, irish (judged from name)Shaun Groomeconvicted, David Keena, 17, male, named, irish (judged from name)David Keena