PC who sexually assaulted girl, 15, escapes with fine
A POLICE officer who sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl and gave underage teenagers alcohol has been fined £1,000.
Alexander Murphy was present at a house party with a group of youngsters when he agreed to buy them drink, a court was told.
Others arrived and Murphy, 47, supplied more alcohol before selling a bottle of vodka to two girls for £5 each. Murphy had also been drinking and began dancing with the girls and taking selfies with them.
He put his hand on the knee and hip of one as they sat on a couch. Murphy told her: ‘You’re my favourite, you’re a wee cutie. You’ve got a cute smile but I don’t mean that in a paedophile way.’
He also told the girl not to tell his wife or he would ‘get into trouble’ from her. As the party in Uddingston, Lanarkshire, ended, Murphy grabbed his crotch while performing a gymnastics manoeuvre.
Hamilton Sheriff Court heard that he told the girl: ‘If I do a handstand for you, will you come up the stairs and stay?’
After the incident in March 2019, Murphy was summoned to a meeting with furious parents. The father of three, from Paisley, Renfrewshire, has resigned from the police.
He admitted carrying out a sexual assault and a breach of the peace in March 2019.
As well as fining the former PC, Sheriff Mungo Bovey, QC, tagged him for six months and banned him from having unsupervised contact with girls under the age of 16.
Murphy will be under supervision for two years and was placed on the sex offenders register for the same period.
Depute fiscal Alice Carey said: ‘During the night all of the girls started chatting about the accused and his behaviour and some girls told their mums. This culminated in them all meeting, including the accused, at one of the girl’s parents’ houses.
‘He was later arrested and at interview accepted most
‘Completely unacceptable’
of the conduct but provided an explanation.’
Iain Cahill, defending, said: ‘He has pled guilty on the basis that he recklessly touched the complainer sexually as opposed to intentionally... this was completely and utterly unacceptable and he acknowledges that.’
Sheriff Bovey said: ‘I’m imposing a restriction of liberty order for six months that will take you from police constable to tagged criminal.’
Following the hearing, Police Scotland Superintendent Maxine Martin said Murphy ‘was quickly suspended after this incident was reported’.
She added: ‘Had he not resigned, the circumstances would be considered by the Professional Standards Department for the purposes of gross misconduct following the conclusion of criminal proceedings.’