ALEXANDER MURPHY OF LIVINGSTON AND CITY FACES COURT OVER SEXUAL OFFENCES IN LANARKSHIRE
Disgraced former Police Scotland officer Alexander Murphy attended Hamilton Sheriff Court following his convictions.Murphy, now unemployed and receiving Universal Credit, was found guilty of failing to comply with the terms of the Sex Offenders' Register after being placed on it earlier this year for a separate sexual assault.
The court was told that Murphy, 49, had previously attacked a 15-year-old girl at a party, after inviting her and other underage girls to consume Dragon Soop and wine.
In July, Murphy was spared jail time for inappropriately touching the teenager, telling her she was his "favourite" and "cute." Following his conviction, he resigned from the police force.
Today, Murphy pleaded guilty to a charge under the Sexual Offences Act 2003 of failing to provide accurate register information, specifically for not disclosing a bank card when registering with the police.
The court heard that although he informed authorities within three days of his registration, he failed to mention a bank card, which is required for online activity monitoring of sex offenders.
Defence solicitor Andy Iles explained that Murphy, who previously served as a Police Constable in Livingston and had lived in Paisley, had forgotten about the bank card when registering after his conviction.
He stated, "He is unemployed and in receipt of Universal Credit," and added, "He previously worked as a police officer but lost his job because of his conviction." Iles emphasized that Murphy attended the police station to register as a sex offender but simply overlooked the bank card.
Prosecutor Morag McClintock noted, "He said he used it once and completely forgot about it." Iles acknowledged, "It was a genuine mistake, but he realises that is not a reasonable excuse and he accepts that." Sheriff Small fined Murphy £200—reduced from £300 for his guilty plea—and stated, "I think this was a genuine mistake which is, of course, not a reasonable excuse.
I’m imposing a financial penalty to emphasize the unacceptability of his carelessness." The court allowed payments of £20 per month, given Murphy’s financial situation.
Murphy admitted to sexual assaulting the girl, whose identity is protected for legal reasons, and to breaching the peace by supplying alcohol to underage girls and making inappropriate remarks to them during a house party in Uddingston, Lanarkshire, on 8 March 2019.
