Dennis Peter Murphy sits in Courtroom 6 at provincial court in St. John's Tuesday morning. - Tara BradburyST. JOHN'S, N.L. — A St. John’s judge issued an arrest warrant for Dennis Peter Murphy Thursday, March 9, after he failed to show up for a scheduled court date.
Murphy, a registered sex offender who was the subject of a public warning by police when he was released from custody four years ago, had been given a notice to appear on three charges of breaching court orders in connection with incidents on Jan. 13, but wasn’t in court when his case was called. One of the breaches relates to a probation order Murphy, 62, was given in May 2021, after he was sentenced for assaulting a woman and causing her bodily harm along with two charges of failing to appear in court.Murphy is well-known to police, with a 20-page criminal record that spans multiple provinces.
“Mr. Murphy is a repeat offender who has displayed disregard for his female victims and disrespect of the sentences that have been imposed in the past,” provincial court Associate Chief Judge Mike Madden said upon sentencing Murphy two years ago. “He is not a good candidate for rehabilitation.” It has been our privilege to have the trust and support of our East Coast communities for the last 200 years. Our SaltWire team is always watching out for the place we call home. Our 100 journalists strive to inform and improve our East Coast communities by delivering impartial, high-impact, local journalism that provokes thought and action. Please consider joining us in this mission by becoming a member of the SaltWire Network and helping to make our communities better.