The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Police sergeant butted door and hit himself
COURT: Officer gave himself black eye in an attempt to pin assault on estranged wife
A police officer gave himself a black eye then tried to tell colleagues his estranged wife had assaulted him.
Barry Murphy’s ploy failed because a teenager recorded him on a mobile phone as he punched himself in the face and banged his head off his ex’s front door in Dunfermline.
The sergeant, who is believed to have been suspended, was labelled a liar and control freak during a four-day trial at the town’s sheriff court.
Murphy, 40, was convicted of three offences, including assaulting his wife, and will return to the court for sentencing next month.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said the force was aware of the outcome and a report would be made to an assistant chief constable.
A police sergeant punched himself in the face and headbutted his front door – then claimed he had been assaulted by his wife.
Barry Murphy was in uniform and heading to start a shift when a row broke out with his estranged wife at their home in Dunfermline.
Murphy, a policeman for 14 years in Edinburgh, gave himself a black eye then tried to blame his wife.
The plan backfired because a teenager who was present recorded his ham acting on a mobile phone.
The teenager told the court: “He headbutted the door and then punched himself twice on the face. He punched himself really hard on the right eye.”
Instead of going to start his shift at Corstorphine, Murphy was arrested and taken to Kirkcaldy Police Station.
Murphy has now been found guilty of three offences, including assaulting his wife, following a trial at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.
A charge of wasting police time was dropped because officers were already on their way in response to a 999 call from his wife when he phoned to report the bogus assault.
Previously Murphy, who had moved out of the family home, returned unexpectedly late at night, let himself in and found another man with his wife.
The man, another police officer Ian Arthur, who is now in a relationship with Mrs Murphy, ran from the house and was chased down the road for half a mile by Murphy, who was shouting that he would kill him.
Murphy, 40, now of New Swanson Estate, Edinburgh, was convicted of three charges arising from incidents at his then-home in Dunfermline.
Between January 1 and December 31 2015 at Bennachie Way he assaulted his wife by seizing her head, pushing her on to a bed and struggling violently.
On February 24 at Bennachie Way he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting at her and at Ian Arthur, behaved aggressively, made threats of violence to them, stood in front of a car being driven by his wife, refused to desist for a lengthy period and prevented her from leaving.
On April 10 at Bennachie Way he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting at his wife and acting aggressively, all in the presence of a child, placing them in a state of fear, alarm and distress.
Murphy’s wife said she phoned 999 to report that her husband was selfharming.
During cross-examination, depute fiscal Azrah Yousaf told Murphy: “You’re nothing but a liar and a control freak. You’re trying to refute these allegations because they would cost you your job.”
Sheriff Charles MacNair called for reports including an assessment for a restriction of liberty order.
Murphy will be sentenced on December 11. It is understood he has been suspended from the police.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We are aware of the outcome of the case and a report will be made to assistant chief constable for professionalism, Alan Spiers, for consideration.”