'Don’t wait for a crisis': Jennifer Poole case prompts plea for victims to contact gardaí at early stage
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A Garda chief has joined the family of murder victim Jennifer Poole in appealing to victims of domestic violence to contact gardaí “at an early stage” and not wait for a crisis to happen.
They were speaking outside court after Gavin Murphy was sentenced to the mandatory term of life imprisonment for the murder of his girlfriend Jennifer Poole at her home in Finglas, north Dublin, in April 2021.
Ms Poole, aged 24 and a mother of two children, was stabbed seven times by Murphy in her apartment on Melville Drive.
Ms Poole’s brother, Jason, joined by a large family presence, said that justice was served with the sentence.
“However, every day, we as a family are suffering from this horrific murder," he said.
He said his sister was “honest, caring, and hardworking” and was loved by everyone who met her.
“She was an amazing mother to her two children, who she loved and protected so dearly," he said.
He said the family was now living two lives — the one before Jennifer was taken from them and the one they now live.
“Domestic violence in Ireland has become far too common, and it is not OK,” he said.
“We as a family call on all women and men that find themselves in situations where domestic violence is part of their lives to please seek help and support.”
He urged people to speak to gardaí or contact relevant organisations.
“We do not want another family to have to go through what we are going through," he said, adding that more needed to be done with laws on the area.
He thanked the team of gardaí in Finglas for ensuring that his sister and the family “got justice for this horrendous crime” and singled out the family liaison officer for praise.
Joining them outside the Criminal Courts of Justice, Garda Chief Superintendent Finbarr Murphy said: “On behalf of An Garda Síochána, I want to extend the sympathy of our organisation and the gardaí in Finglas to Jennifer’s family, her mother and father, her two children, her relatives, and the community in Finglas and her colleagues that played sport with her in Erin’s Eye. We extend our deepest sympathy.”
He commended the family for the “dignified manner” in which they had dealt with this “really, really tragic and heartbreaking situation”.
"We have to double our efforts, all of us, in all our different roles.”
The divisional officer for the Dublin Western Region made this appeal: “I have a message for anybody who is watching this, who is living with domestic abuse in their life, that we are giving you an invitation to come forward to the gardaí and talk to us.
"You are valued by society and we invite you to come forward and talk to us at an early stage, don’t wait for a crisis.”
He said that gardaí will introduce them to the various non-governmental and voluntary services that will help them through this domestic abuse crisis and help get their life back.
To the perpetrators, he said: “In relation to the abusers that are watching this, your behaviour is unacceptable, it's abhorrent, and it's toxic to any relationship or any society.
"It’s your behaviour, and you should seek help to stop if you can’t stop of your own accord. It must stop.”