Catholic monk jailed for physical and sexual abuse of boys

At the High Court in Edinburgh, Lord Uist sentenced Michael Murphy to seven years imprisonment after he was found guilty of the physical and sexual abuse of eight boys at St Joseph’s residential school.

On sentencing, Lord Uist said in court: “In behaving as you did you betrayed the trust reposed in you as a guardian of those boys and flouted your religious calling. I do not know what caused you to treat those boys, who have clearly all been damaged to varying extents by what they suffered at your hands, in such a cruel manner. Your continued denial of these crimes shows that you have no remorse or regret. It has taken a long time for justice to catch up with you, but the day of reckoning has now arrived.

“You are now 82 years old. I take into account that you have otherwise done some good over the years, but I must have regard to your previous conviction for ten earlier assaults on boys during the years when you worked at St Ninian’s School, Gartmore between 1960 and 1969, which resulted in a sentence of 12 months imprisonment.

“On all the charges of which you have been convicted, taken together, the sentence which I impose is 7 years imprisonment.

“As a result of that sentence you now become subject to the notification requirements of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 for an indefinite period”.

Speaking after the sentencing, procurator fiscal High Court, East of Scotland, Kenny Donnelly said: “The actions of Michael Murphy have devastated the lives of many and left permanent mental scars on his vulnerable victims. He was trusted and respected by the community he served while all along was abusing his position to satisfy his depraved needs.

“Thanks to the incredible bravery of his victims in coming forward to report what happened to them, it has been possible for us to bring him to face the full force of the law for his despicable crimes.”