PERTHSHIRE DOMESTIC ABUSE ACTIVIST NICOLA MURRAY SENTENCED FOR CHILD ABUSE IN EDINBURGH

A prominent figure in the domestic abuse advocacy community from Perthshire, Nicola Murray, has been convicted of a series of heinous crimes involving the abuse of children. The allegations against her include a disturbing pattern of physical, emotional, and sexual violence that spanned over two decades, with incidents taking place at various addresses in West Lothian and Perthshire.

Nicola Murray, aged 46, was found guilty after a trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, where the court heard detailed accounts of her abusive behavior. The prosecution, led by Cheryl Porter, described how Murray systematically subjected the children to repeated assaults, including punching, kicking, slapping, and dragging them across floors and stairs. One victim recounted being treated “like a dog,” while another was dragged from a top bunk bed onto the floor in a particularly traumatic incident.

Among the most disturbing allegations were her sexual offenses. Murray was accused of forcing her tongue into the mouths of two children and engaging in explicit conversations about her sex life, including describing her lover’s penis. She also showed one child a sexually explicit image she had taken of a man she was dating, further violating their trust and innocence. The court heard that she indecently assaulted another child after stripping them naked, and at one point, accused a victim of causing her to suffer a miscarriage. Additionally, she was charged with smothering a child's face with a pillow to restrict their breathing.

Her violent and abusive conduct extended to dragging children out of their beds and insulting them, including calling one child “a tranny” after they styled their hair like their favorite pop star, Pink. The court was also told that she repeatedly engaged in sexual conversations with the children, leaving some of them naked, injured, and distressed after savage assaults. One victim testified to being left in such a state following a particularly brutal attack.

Despite her public persona as a domestic abuse campaigner, Murray’s actions starkly contrasted her advocacy work. She had previously campaigned for changes to domestic abuse laws and established Brodie’s Trust, a support group for women who had lost babies due to domestic violence or forced termination. Her efforts included a petition advocating for harsher sentences for violent abusers who cause their victims to lose their children. This petition was debated at the Scottish Parliament in May of the previous year, with MSPs agreeing to note it but indicating that further review was necessary before any legislative amendments could be made.

Murray, who hails from Stanley, denied all allegations of abuse. She was arrested and charged after one victim bravely came forward in 2022. She has been standing trial since last Tuesday, with her defense asserting her innocence. During her closing remarks, Prosecutor Cheryl Porter emphasized the severity of her crimes, stating that Murray had “systematically physically, emotionally and sexually abused these children.”

Following five days of evidence, the jury deliberated for less than two hours before returning guilty verdicts on all ten charges, which included three counts of assault, two sexual assaults, two indecent communications, one indecent assault, and two charges of threatening or abusive behavior, all committed between December 2002 and August 2022.

Sheriff Gillian Sharp announced that sentencing would be deferred to allow for social work reports to be prepared, citing the gravity and number of offenses. Murray was placed on the sex offenders register on an interim basis, with her sentencing scheduled for May. The court’s decision reflects the seriousness of her crimes and the impact on her victims, who endured years of abuse at her hands.