JUDGES EXPRESS SUSPICIONS OF PAEDOPHILE RING AS TWO EX-SOLDIERS SENTENCED IN TEESSIDE

In June 2014, a Teesside Crown Court judge voiced suspicions regarding the possibility of a paedophile ring being involved, although no such ring was officially proven. Two former soldiers, Jeffrey Murphy and Colin Angliss, received lengthy prison sentences after being convicted of multiple sexual offences against schoolgirls.

The two men abused three young girls, with evidence indicating individual acts by each, but it could not be conclusively proven that they operated as part of a broader 'paedophile ring.' One underage girl was subject to sexual attacks from both men on separate occasions; Murphy groomed, sexually assaulted, and raped her, while Angliss molested her.

She was able to testify at two separate trials about her ordeal, as both defendants denied all charges. Prosecutor Aisha Wadoodi highlighted the long-term effects on the victims, including impacts on mental health and relationships. One victim shared in a court statement, "I’ve never been able to have any steady relationship with men because I’ve never trusted them. I can’t sleep without my light on and I constantly have nightmares about what abuse he did to me."

Another victim expressed her feelings towards Angliss, stating, "I hate Colin Angliss for what he did to me. I believe that he knew how vulnerable I was as a child. I’ve had nightmares and hot sweats about what he did to me. I wish he would just admit what he did to me so that I can get some closure. This will never go away."

Judge Howard Crowson sentenced Murphy to 15 years in prison—his first-ever conviction—commenting, "Your selfish desires came first." He detailed that Murphy, 56 at the time, raped two girls, groomed one, and used violence on another by pinning her down and covering her mouth. At the time of the offences, Murphy was living in Middlesbrough and now resides in Magdalene Road, Torquay. Murphy had denied two counts of rape, one of indecency with a child, and one of indecent assault, but was convicted on all four charges after a trial.

In a separate trial, Angliss, of Stokesley Road, Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough, was found guilty by a unanimous jury on 11 counts, including six of indecent assault, three of sexual activity with a child, and one each of indecency with a child and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. He told one girl he loved her and wanted to run away with her, while asserting control over the other girl, Judge Peter Armstrong stated. Despite being warned that such behaviour could land him in prison, Angliss continued offending.

Judge Armstrong sentenced Angliss to nine years, also his first prison term. He praised the courage of the victims and witnesses, noting, “The truth will out” and emphasizing, “There were elements of grooming in respect of both children.” After the convictions, the judge remarked, “Sometimes there is what’s known as a paedophile ring where there is knowledge of sexual abuse of children which is passed on. However suspicious one might be, I’ll have to work on the basis that he was acting alone.”

Neither Murphy nor Angliss had prior convictions. Defense barristers described Murphy’s offences as isolated incidents rather than part of a pattern; Gary Cook, representing him, said, “The crimes were isolated, sporadic, ‘occasional transgressions’ with no overt threats or coercion, rather than premeditated, protracted grooming and abuse. However badly he treated those girls, there were clearly others who spoke of him very well. He is forever tainted by these allegations.”

Regarding Angliss, solicitor Adrian Dent stated that the convictions would devastate his military career, as he served as an Army Private for 20 years. Both men received sexual offences prevention orders, banning them from unsupervised contact with girls under 18, and will be registered as sex offenders and prohibited from working with children, all indefinitely.

Murphy’s father, Brian Murphy, aged 78 from Evergreen Walk, Saltersgill, Middlesbrough, had appeared in court with the two men back in September to deny indecent assault charges involving a girl from the 1990s and two counts related to incidents last year. However, he passed away before the case was concluded, and the proceedings were discontinued last November.