Michael Murphy, a man who groomed a family and sexually abused their daughter from the age of seven, was jailed for 16 years in February. The victim, now an adult, has spoken out about the abuse, which took place in her family home while her parents were downstairs.
Murphy, known as “Uncle Mike”, was a friend of the victim’s father and ingratiated himself into the family by claiming his ex-wife had denied him access to his own daughter. He showered the family with gifts and attention, becoming a trusted figure. The abuse began when the victim was seven, during bedtime stories; Murphy would send her twin sister downstairs and abuse her under a blanket.
The abuse continued until she was about nine, when Murphy took her and her sister to see the film Annie in London, then showed them the Kama Sutra at his flat. The victim believes she was raped, although he was not charged with that offence. He also took Polaroid photos of both sisters, one naked and one in her nightie, when they were seven or eight.
The victim’s older sister, Sarah, discovered the photos at age 13 but was convinced by Murphy that they were a mistake. The abuse ended before the victim hit puberty, but Murphy continued to attend family events. The victim told Sarah about the abuse in her teens but made her promise not to tell anyone. The secret emerged when the victim was 17, after Sarah confronted Murphy in a bar.
The victim reported the abuse to the police in May 2015, after the Jimmy Savile scandal prompted her to come forward. She said the police were “amazing” and believed her. Murphy was convicted and sentenced to 16 years in prison. The victim’s father died three days after she told him she was considering reporting the abuse, which she believes was caused by stress.
