Judge tells son of deputy PCC jailed for attack: You treated victim like a `sex object`

A victims` champion for one of Britain`s largest metropolitan policing regions has quit – just days after her son was jailed for sexually assaulting a woman as she slept on a sofa.

Andrew Michael Murphy was sentenced to six years after Liverpool Crown Court was told he treated a woman he had become “infatuated” with – not like a human being, but a “sex object for your own purposes”.

Judge Steven Everett said the “distressing case” had led the woman to suffer depression and “attempt suicide”.

Murphy, of Garswood, St Helens – the son of Merseyside Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner (DPCC) Sue Murphy – only stopped attacking the semi-conscious woman when a ten-year-old boy walked into the room and interrupted him.

The jury also heard a younger child was sleeping in the room where the assault by the father-of-five occurred – and his long-term partner was also in the home at the time of the attack.

Three days after Murphy was convicted of sexual assault by penetration, but cleared of an additional count of rape after the jury failed to reach a verdict, the Merseyside DPCC walked out of her post “with immediate effect”.

The prison sentence for her 34-year-old son would explain Ms Murphy`s abrupt departure for “personal reasons”, news of which was posted on the police and crime commissioner`s website.

PCC Jane Kennedy, a former Labour minister who held portfolios for Northern Ireland, the Treasury and DEFRA in her time as a Liverpool MP, said of her deputy`s hasty exit: “I would like to thank Sue for her excellent service as deputy police and crime commissioner over the last 20 months.

“She has played an important role in my office since joining in August 2015. Sue has a long and distinguished track record serving the people of St Helens and I wish her every success in the future.”

Ms Kennedy`s office told Police Professional that neither plans for a replacement were currently being discussed, nor a formal recruitment process underway.

When Ms Murphy, who is a sitting councillor for the Billinge and Seneley Green district on St Helens Council, was appointed to the £31,000-a-year position in August 2015, she said: “This is a great opportunity to work alongside the Commissioner and with a whole range of partners on some of the issues that matter most to our communities – crime, anti-social behaviour, protecting the vulnerable and caring for victims – and I am really excited to start work.”

She was given the double challenge of spearheading the Commissioner’s Victim Care Merseyside service and looking after community safety.

After being reappointed following last May`s PCC elections, Cllr Murphy spoke of the “passionate” desire to continue the work to “improve the services that offer support to some of the most vulnerable people in our communities”.

Returning to the court case, Judge Everett acknowledged the attack had not been planned but said that Murphy “took advantage of the fact she had been drinking”.

At the sentencing, Jamie Baxter, prosecuting read out two victim personal statements which said how the woman had “suffered depression” and “attempted suicide”. They also said how she had has been “a very nervous person” and “scared to go out”.

In passing sentence, the judge said to Murphy, described as alcohol dependent and a user of cocaine: “My view of you as a character, hedonistic is the word I want to use. You have a selfish lifestyle where you do what you want, you come first. Understanding you had a long-term partner and five children, you still came first.”

The court also heard Murphy tried to “smear” his victim`s character after the attack.

Judge Everett added this was a “distressing case” and that “you didn`t treat her like a human being, you treated her like a sex object for your own purposes”.

The judge said the assault “had a huge affect” on his victim and caused “severe psychological harm”, referring to the woman as a “true victim”.

Defending, Peter Killen said Murphy had “mental health issues” and was a “working man” who supported his fami