Former Boxing Champion John Murray Sentenced to Three Years for Violent Assaults
John Murray, a 41-year-old former British and European lightweight boxing champion, has been imprisoned for three years following two separate violent attacks on women. The former fighter, originally from Levenshulme in Manchester, had enjoyed a successful professional career before being forced to retire due to injury in 2014.
Disturbing Details of the Two Separate Incidents
Minshull Street Crown Court heard how Murray, who had been working as a delivery driver in 2023, carried out two unprovoked assaults months apart. The first incident occurred on January 20, 2023, when Murray obstructed a woman's driveway and then attacked her when she confronted him.
"As another woman grabbed her hair, the defendant punched her to the face," prosecutor Eleanor Myers told the court. "Her children were screaming 'get off my mum' as her partner came to help."
The victim, who had her two children in the vehicle at the time, sustained a broken nose and significant psychological trauma. In a victim impact statement, she revealed: "This changed me as a person, I do not feel like I am the same person I was. I cannot leave the house on my own any more."
Brutal Attack on Former Partner
The second, more severe assault took place on July 15, 2023, when Murray visited his former partner's residence to discuss a family matter. After forcing entry through a window, he followed her to a bedroom where he strangled her with both hands around her neck for approximately 45 seconds.
The prosecutor detailed how Murray then seized her hair and repeatedly struck her in the head before chasing her downstairs, throwing her onto a sofa, and biting her breast. During the violent episode, Murray punched and kicked the woman in the stomach while she gasped for air and begged him to stop.
Following the assault, Murray declared: "Look what you made me do - look at your neck." The victim sustained bruising to her breast, throat, and face, along with a gash to the back of her ear. She stated: "This incident has really shocked me. I never expected him to be so horrible in my life, and I hope I don't have to again. I don't feel safe in my own home."
From Boxing Success to Criminal Conviction
Murray had established himself as a respected figure in British boxing before his criminal actions. His career included facing notable opponents like Anthony Crolla and featuring on the undercard of the Oscar De La Hoya vs Floyd Mayweather world title bout in Las Vegas in 2007.
After retiring from competition due to a detached retina sustained in his final bout against Crolla in April 2014, Murray opened his own boxing gym in Reddish, Stockport, where he coached both amateur and professional fighters. The gym eventually closed for financial reasons.
In mitigation, Isobel Thomas acknowledged Murray's successful boxing career and the admiration he had earned, but explained: "His boxing career was cut short... after sustaining an eye injury. He was forced to find a new career and this was a difficult time for him. He opened his own boxing gym and that gave him a purpose. For financial reasons, he had to close the boxing gym. He struggled and felt he lost his purpose in life."
Legal Consequences and Restraining Order
Murray, now of Lichfield Walk in Romiley, pleaded guilty to three charges:
- Strangulation
- Assault occasioning actual bodily harm
- Assault by beating
In addition to his three-year prison sentence, Judge Timothy Smith imposed a seven-year restraining order banning Murray from contacting his former partner. The sentence reflects the severity of the attacks and the significant impact on both victims.
Murray concluded his professional boxing career with an impressive 33-3 record before transitioning to coaching. His journey from working on supermarket shelves and serving at McDonald's as a youngster to becoming a British and European champion has now been overshadowed by his violent criminal actions against women.
