Mum-of-4, 46, sexually abused boy, 13, at her home even when her kids were there

26 October 2023 , 22:16

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Isobel Murphy has been jailed (Image: Justin Kernoghan/Belfast Live)

A mum-of-four gave a boy, 13, a mobile phone so she could send him sexual videos via Snapchat and sexually abused him whilst her own kids were in the same house.

Isobel Murphy’s lawyer admitted her behaviour was ‘utter madness’ with 350 Snapchat messages exchanged between May 29 and June 1, 2021. One video even showed Murphy performing a solo sex act on herself with a sex toy.

The 46-year-old pleaded guilty to two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, two counts of sexual activity with a child and two counts of sexual communication with a child. Judge Peter Irvine KC handed her a 27-month sentence divided equally between prison and licence.

But the victim’s family say Murphy should be locked up for more time. After the sentence was passed, the victim's aunt said: "If she was a man she would have gotten longer and that sentence wasn't long enough. She should have gotten longer. We heard in court about the stress she has suffered, but what about the child she abused? He's coming 16 now. He's had to move schools and his mental health is not good."

All of the offences occurred in Murphy's former home in east Belfast. She now has an address at Central Avenue in Bangor. Crown prosecutor Sam Magee KC said that at the time of offending, Murphy was 44 and her young victim was 13, reports Belfast Live. Mr Magee revealed Murphy's offending emerged when the boy's mother found the phone and read some of the Snapchat messages before alerting police.

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Defence barrister Frank O'Donoghue said his client had a ‘difficult but otherwise blemish-free life’. He spoke of the consequences of her offending which has included social services involvement with her children and having to move away from her former home. He said Murphy was ‘of limited intellect’, has suffered stress as a result of the court proceedings and was remorseful for her actions. As well as prison time, Murphy was also made the subject of a ten-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for ten years.

Ashleigh McDonald