In a tale as old as time, Paul Rowlands met his fate in 2022 when a 42-year-old man was handed down a sentence of a minimum of eight years for the inadvertent death of his comrade in County Antrim. Last week, Jason Murray, residing at HMP Maghaberry, confessed to the unlawful demise of 46-year-old Paul Rowlands in the Bath Terrace precinct of Portrush on the 18th of July 2022.
In an ironic twist of fate, after the fatal encounter, Murray strode into a nearby bar and brazenly declared, “I am now a hitman, I eliminate folks.” Mr. Justice O’Hara sympathetically noted that Mr. Rowland’s family was “struggling to hold it together” following his passing. Life, as cliché as it may sound, had indeed thrown them a curveball – becoming more intricate and forever altered.
The judge articulated that Murray “was and is an addict whose self-restraint was compromised.” A parole officer had deduced that “violence was somewhat ingrained in Mr. Murray” and he represented “a substantial menace to society.” Mr. Justice O’Hara stressed that this was yet another stark example of the consequences of substance misuse and the refusal of assistance.
In an unexpected turn of events, Murray was sentenced to a minimum of eight years behind bars, with Judge O’Hara pronouncing that “the parole board will determine his fitness for freedom after the stipulated time.” Paradoxically, if deemed unfit for release, Murray would remain incarcerated.
Originally hailing from Cambridge, England, Mr. Rowlands and Murray found themselves homeless, dwelling in tents on East Strand, Portrush. Murray’s plea of manslaughter was validated due to diminished responsibility attributed to a mental anomaly.
During a previous hearing, it was disclosed that at 02:15 BST on the 18th of July 2022, the ambulance service was notified of a man prostrate on the ground at Bath Terrace. On arrival, emergency personnel discovered Mr. Rowlands lying amidst vehicles, blood pooling near his head. Tragically, he was declared deceased at the scene. A post-mortem examination unveiled that Mr. Rowlands succumbed to brain hemorrhage induced by blunt force trauma to his head and neck, compounded by elevated alcohol levels.
Eloquently speaking outside the courtroom, Mr. Rowlands’ daughter, Leanne Rowlands, expressed that “dad was the pillar of our clan,” highlighting his role as a sibling, father, son, and beloved figure. She lamented the cruelty and untimeliness of his demise, shattering their world irreparably. She sorrowfully acknowledged that he would never relish the joys of grandchildren and reminisced about his love for “Doctor Who” and Manchester United. The past three years had indeed been an arduous journey.
In a poignant statement post Murray’s sentencing, Detective Inspector Claire McGarvey
In a rather peculiar turn of events, the tiff in question was described as a mere squabble by those present in the court. Mr. Magee went on to recount that Mr. Rowlands, who had made his way over from England a month before his untimely demise, was without a job and had a rather colorful past of alcohol and drug mishaps.
It was revealed to the court that Rowlands and Murray had struck up a friendship while both were down on their luck, homeless, and living in tents. Their daily routine included imbibing in spirits, engaging in the art of fishing, and partaking in various substances.
Mr. Magee gravely informed the court that the accused had callously left the scene, abandoning the dying or potentially already deceased Rowlands, showing a blatant disregard for his fate, and instead choosing to continue his revelry.
Contradicting the assertion of indifference, Defense barrister Gavan Duffy KC pointed out that Murray was undeniably inebriated to the extreme upon his arrival at a nearby watering hole post-fracas. The defense argued that Murray ought to have stayed put, raised the alarm regarding the incident, and stood firm in accepting accountability for his actions.
Adding a layer of complexity to the already convoluted situation, the court learned that Murray had a tumultuous upbringing and a complicated mental health background, encompassing disorders such as Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
