Man who ‘tortured, tormented’ elderly man jailed for life

A 22-year-old man who “tortured, tormented” and stole from a vulnerable elderly man who lived alone has been sentenced to life in prison.

Owen Maughan of Dun Saithne Avenue, Balbriggan pleaded guilty to the murder of Christopher Hall at his home in Dun Saithne Green, Balbriggan, County Dublin between November 23 and 24 2021.

He harassed and stole from the 65-year-old man.

The Central Criminal Court was told he has written a letter of apology to the family in which he says he has no excuse, he was not in his right mind but on drugs and he can’t explain or put in words how sorry he is.

His daughter Rebecca told the court she had planned to bring her father to the garda the day before he was murdered.

Mr Hall had a brain injury and lived on disability benefit alone in a council house in Balbriggan.

He was his daughter Rebecca said, a happy man who always saw the good in people but he was targeted and “tormented” by Maughan

Maughan had 39 criminal convictions stole property from him to sell off, including his mobile phone and bicycle.

He also took money from him and stood by him as Mr Hall withdrew money from an ATM.

He had been in Mr Hall’s home three times on the night of the murder. Maughan attacked him with a knife, beating him several times with the handle and stabbing him seven times in the neck.

His daughters couldn’t contact him and Rebecca Hall found him the following afternoon lying in a pool of his own blood between two chairs in the living room.

Mr Justice Paul McDermott sentenced him to the mandatory term of life in prison.