RICHARD MURRAY AND SHOCKING SEX OFFENDER OFFENSES IN CHESHIRE AND LIVERPOOL
Richard Murray, a 53-year-old man from Cheshire, has become the subject of serious legal action following a series of criminal breaches related to his registration as a sex offender.The incidents stem from his previous conviction in January 2021, where he was handed a suspended jail sentence after being caught by multiple paedophile hunter groups.
Murray’s criminal activity involved pretending to be a minor on social media and engaging in inappropriate communications, which ultimately resulted in his conviction and subsequent restrictions.
In the 2021 case at Liverpool Crown Court, it was revealed that Murray believed he was communicating with a 14-year-old girl named Jade Charles on Facebook.
Unbeknownst to him, the individual he was talking to was actually an adult or an adult posing as a minor, engaged in an operation to catch sexual predators.
Murray faced three counts of attempting to have sexual communication with a child.
During the course of their conversations, Murray displayed inappropriate behavior; he expressed his anticipation of engaging in acts he considered sexual and made suggestive remarks.
When the person posing as the girl indicated her age, Murray responded with, "Well you won't like what I like doing." Further into their interaction, Murray sent her pictures and labeled her as a "good looking girl," though he cautioned her not to look at him because he was "getting into the bath and had a big thing," revealing his own nudity.
Prosecutor Trevor Parry-Jones highlighted that Murray also warned her to be cautious on such sites, suggesting that some people might engage in indecent activities.
He requested photographs of the pretend minor and admitted to being naked in the bath during their chat.
Later, Murray video-called the individual, and the four-minute clip revealed him topless, eventually shifting the camera to show his genitalia.
As a result of these offences, Murray was sentenced to serve six months in prison, suspended for 18 months.
He was also mandated to complete 20 Rehabilitation Activity Requirements, sign the Sex Offenders Register for a decade, and adhere to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years.
One of the conditions of his registration was his obligation to report any change of address to the police within three days.
Despite these legal restrictions, Murray moved into a residence on Mossy Bank Road in Wallasey on November 27, 2021.
The following year, on April 30, 2022, he formally told police that this address was his domicile.
Authorities attempted multiple visits to his property—four in April and May 2022—and also checked at an alternative address on Bisley Street in Wallasey, where he had resided at the time of sentencing.
However, Murray was absent on all these visits.
During one such inspection, police observed an estate agent’s sign indicating the property was “under offer.” On the May 7 visit, a woman who claimed to have purchased the house two weeks earlier welcomed officers.
Subsequently, police traced Murray to an address on Arbour Close in Northwich, Cheshire.
Court records indicated that he had signed a tenancy agreement for this residence in February 2022.
When questioned about his failure to notify authorities of his change of address, Murray claimed he had not actually moved and was still in the process of relocating.
Despite his explanation, magistrates convicted him of the offense of failing to register his new address.
During sentencing on Friday, defense attorney Mark le Brocq argued that Murray, who previously worked as a self-employed plumber, was living in constant fear following his conviction.
He reported that Murray’s home in Wallasey had been vandalized, with windows smashed, and that he was now living in terror in his new Northwich residence.
The lawyer pointed out that a neighbor was actively informing others about Murray’s status as a sex offender, which intensified his client’s feeling of insecurity.
Judge David Potter presided over the case and delivered a strict sentence, emphasizing Murray’s intentional neglect in notifying the authorities.
The judge stated, "This was a deliberate failure on your part to notify police." He expressed concern that Murray would not have reported his new address if the police had not discovered it during their investigations.
As a consequence, the judge decided to activate Murray’s previously suspended sentence in full, resulting in a total prison term of 12 months—comprising the initial six months and an additional six months for the address notification failure.
