Monk convicted of abusing pupils at East Lothian school
A Catholic monk carried out a catalogue of brutality and degrading abuse against pupils at a residential school during "a regime of fear".
A Catholic monk carried out a catalogue of brutality and degrading abuse against pupils at a residential school during "a regime of fear".
82-year-old Michael Murphy was known as Brother Benedict or Brother Ben to children in his care at St Joseph's List D School in Tranent, in East Lothian, where he perpetrated indecency and violence against youngsters.
Irish-born Murphy denied a string of charges against him during his trial at the High Court in Edinburgh claiming: "I should not be here in this court at all."
But a jury convicted him of 15 charges of assault and indecent assault today involving eight boys spanning the decade up to 1981. Murphy was acquitted of a further two charges.
Victims told his trial that he had laughed when administering electric shocks to boys using a hand-wound generator dubbed "The Tickler". One boy had his hands burned and another lapsed into unconsciousness.
One pupil was locked in an unlit cupboard overnight and another was urinated on by the De La Salle brother.
One 57-year-old man told the High Court in Edinburgh: "Because of what happened to me in there my children never went to a Catholic school."
Another former pupil at St Joseph's described how he was painfully molested by Murphy during a sex attack. He told police that he had asked the brother what he was doing during the assault. "He said he was checking me."
Murphy, of Clayton Court, Rogate Road, Liss, Hampshire, who trained as a social worker, had maintained his innocence and told jurors: "As a matter of fact I should not be here in this court at all. I have done nothing wrong in St Joseph's."
He claimed he had always treated children with respect and said: "I am very unlucky."
He said he had taken three vows of poverty, chastity and obedience and told the court: "I am a member of a religious order. I have never been involved in sexual abuse in my life with a man, woman or child."
Under cross-examination by Mr Kearney Murphy said his nickname at the school had been "Bootsy", but denied it was because he kicked boys with hobnail boots. He said it was because of a TV programme, Bootsy and Snudge.
The trial judge, Lord Uist, adjourned the proceedings after the jury returned its verdicts this afternoon.