A man has today, Friday, 1 February, been jailed for multiple sexual offences committed over a 30-year period.

Michael Murphy, 72, (28.03.46) of Barriedale, Brockley, Lewisham was sentenced to 16 years’ imprisonment at Woolwich Crown Court following a three-week trial.

Murphy was found guilty of ten offences, relating to three female victims, who were all known to him. The offences were:

– Four counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 16yrs;
– Two count of gross indecency with a girl under the age of 16yrs;
– One count of Making indecent photographs/pseudo-photograph of a child;
– One count of Rape of a Child under 13;
– Two counts of sexual activity with a child.

Between 1980 and 2007, Murphy befriended the families of his victims, many of whom are not known to each other. He also used his connections within the music industry for the purposes of grooming. Murphy would speak of his connections to the music industry and would get tickets for concerts for the victims and their immediate families. He was seen by some as an exciting man to know.

Police were first made aware of Murphy in 2015, when the first victim reported that in the 80s and early 90s, he had abused her from the age of seven and continued to do so until she reached puberty. Murphy knew her parents and regularly visited them at their home in south-east London.

It was established that Murphy sexually abused the victim whilst reading her a bedtime story. The victim began to disclose the abuse endured to friends and family in her teenage years/young adult life.

The second victim contacted police in 2016, after watching a programme on the television about abuse and decided to come forward and report what had happened to her. This victim was around nine years old when she and her mother travelled on holiday to Torquay, Devon where they met Murphy. At the time, Murphy told them he worked in the music business and was in a band.

Following the holiday, Murphy chatted over the phone with the victim and her mother. Over the years he sent the victim birthday cards, Easter cards and Valentine cards with messages stating he loved her and missed her.

From the age of nine he began to sexually abuse her. The victim felt that Murphy had brainwashed her so much that when she was 16 years old she ran away to live with him for around five years in London.

The police investigation, which was led by Detective Constables Nichola Buckley and Andy Walker, led to the identification of a further victim.

The third victim described how in the early 90s, when she was nine years old, she travelled with Murphy to meet a family member in the USA. Whilst she was sleeping, Murphy sexually abused her.

A number of months later, Murphy attended the victim’s home address in St John’s Wood, NW8. He followed her into her bedroom and sexually abused her.

Murphy was arrested on 22 April 2016 and following an in-depth investigation, he was sent a postal charge on 17 January 2018, charged with numerous child sex offences. He appeared before Bromley Magistrates’ Court on 1 February 2018.