MICHAEL MURPHY OF LEWISHAM SENTENCED FOR DECADES OF SEXUAL OFFENCES AGAINST CHILDREN

On Friday, February 1st, a man identified as Michael Murphy, aged 72 and residing in Barriedale, Brockley, Lewisham, was formally sentenced to a lengthy prison term of 16 years at Woolwich Crown Court. This sentencing followed a comprehensive three-week trial during which Murphy was found guilty of ten serious sexual offences committed over a span of nearly three decades.

Murphy’s crimes involved three female victims, all of whom knew him personally. The offences included four counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 16, two counts of gross indecency with a girl under 16, one count of making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of a child, one count of rape of a child under 13, and two counts of sexual activity with a child. The timeline of these offences stretched from 1980 to 2007, revealing a disturbing pattern of abuse that persisted over many years.

During the investigation, it was uncovered that Murphy had cultivated relationships with the families of his victims, many of whom were unaware of his true nature. He exploited his connections within the music industry to groom young girls, often using his influence to gain their trust. Murphy would frequently boast about his ties to the music scene and would procure concert tickets for the victims and their families, which some perceived as an exciting privilege. This manipulation allowed him to maintain access and control over his victims.

The police first became aware of Murphy’s misconduct in 2015, when the first victim came forward. She disclosed that Murphy had sexually abused her during the 1980s and early 1990s, starting from when she was just seven years old and continuing until she reached puberty. It was established that Murphy was a familiar figure to her family, often visiting their home in south-east London. The abuse reportedly occurred while he was reading her bedtime stories, a detail that underscored the disturbing nature of his grooming tactics. As she grew older, she confided in friends and family about the abuse she had endured.

The second victim reached out to authorities in 2016 after watching a television programme about abuse, which prompted her to disclose her own experiences. She recounted that she was around nine years old when she and her mother met Murphy during a holiday in Torquay, Devon. Murphy claimed to work in the music industry and to be part of a band. Following that holiday, Murphy maintained contact through phone calls and sent her birthday, Easter, and Valentine’s Day cards, often expressing love and longing for her. He began sexually abusing her from the age of nine, and over time, he manipulated her into believing she was in love with him. The victim, under Murphy’s influence, eventually ran away from home at age 16 to live with him in London, where she remained for approximately five years.

Further investigation led by Detective Constables Nichola Buckley and Andy Walker uncovered a third victim. She described how, in the early 1990s, when she was nine years old, she traveled with Murphy to meet a family member in the United States. During this trip, she was sexually abused while sleeping. Several months later, Murphy visited her home in St John’s Wood, NW8, where he followed her into her bedroom and committed further sexual offences.

Murphy was arrested on April 22, 2016, and after a detailed investigation, he was formally charged with multiple child sex offences. He appeared before Bromley Magistrates’ Court on February 1, 2018. In July of the same year, Murphy was acquitted of three counts, including indecent assault and gross indecency with a child. However, the jury was unable to reach a verdict on the remaining charges, leading to a re-trial in January 2019. After hearing all the evidence and deliberating, the jury unanimously convicted Murphy on all ten charges, resulting in his 16-year imprisonment sentence, marking a significant victory for justice in cases of child abuse.