Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Man with knife ‘ranted’ at teens
A PERTH sex pest went after a group of teenagers armed with a vegetable knife, a court has heard.
John Murphy was placed on the sex offenders register in 2019, after he propositioned two schoolgirls outside a Perth McDonald’s.
The 62-year-old was back in the dock yesterday after an alarming incident outside his then-home in the city’s Ballantine Place.
Murphy was seen “ranting” at a group of men, while holding a knife behind his back.
His solicitor said he was scared, and was trying to “chase off” teenagers who had shouted abuse at him.
Depute fiscal Bill Kermode told Perth Sheriff Court witnesses heard a commotion outside their home, just before 3pm on June 5, 2020.
“They looked out and saw the accused walking along the middle of the road, towards the Lade,” he said. “He was carrying a knife in his right hand, holding it behind his back. It was described as about three to four inches long, like a small vegetable knife.”
Mr Kermode said: “The accused appeared to be shouting and ranting towards a group of people walking along the Lade path.
“But before reaching the path, he walked back with the knife still by his side. The accused did not brandish it at any person.”
Mr Kermode added: “There may have been a group of teenagers on the other side of the road who may have been winding the accused up.”
Police were called and traced Murphy at his home. They were unable to find the knife, the court heard. Murphy admitted having a bladed item in a public place.
Solicitor Pauline Cullerton said her client was at home when he heard men shouting at him through his window.
“He thought they were accusing him of certain things,” she said.
“These may have been the teenagers that were winding him up.”
Ms Cullerton said: “He felt scared. He picked up the knife and went out to chase them off.”
She added: “Mr Murphy fully accepts that what he did was wrong but at the time there was a deterioration in his mental health.”
The court heard Murphy, who has since moved to Skinnergate, will soon be moved to secure accommodation.
Sheriff Gillian Wade told Murphy: “Clearly there are ongoing issues of a mental health nature that require to be addressed and you are doing that appropriately.”
Murphy was placed on a restriction of liberty curfew order for 15 weeks.
He was put on the sex offenders register in 2019 after he admitted approaching two youngsters at the Dunkeld Road McDonald’s and asking if they wanted to have sex.
He returned to Perth Sheriff Court last year and pled guilty to failing to comply with requirements of the Sexual Offences Act, by not informing police about his circumstances within three days of his conviction. He was fined £400.