Catholic monk found guilty of brutal and degrading abuse in ‘regime of fear’ against pupils at Scots residential school

SCOTLAND
Daily Record

BY DAVE FINLAY

MICHAEL Murphy, 82, was known as Brother Benedict or Brother Ben to children at St Joseph’s List D School in Tranent where he perpetrated indecency and violence.

A CATHOLIC monk carried out a catalogue of brutality and degrading abuse against pupils at a residential school during “a regime of fear”.

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, 82, 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 on Thursday involving eight boys spanning the decade up to 1981.

Murphy was acquitted of a further two charges.

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