Bangor woman Isobel Murphy facing potential jail for sex abuse of boy, 13

A 46-year-old Bangor woman was placed on the Sex Offenders Register after she admitted sexually abusing a 13-year-old boy. Isobel Murphy appeared in the dock of Belfast Crown Court where she pleaded guilty to six separate offences committed between May and June 2021. From Central Avenue in Bangor, Murphy was represented by barrister Frank O'Donoghue KC who asked that she be re-arraigned on five charges she initially denied.

She was then charged with being an adult and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity involving penetration; intentionally engaging in sexual touching of a child; two counts of sexually communicating with a child and causing a child to engage in sexual activity. The five offences were committed over a period from May 1 to June 2, 2021 and when the charges were put to her by a court clerk, Murphy entered 'guilty' pleas to all of them. When a sixth charge of sexual activity by an adult with a child on dates between May 1 and June 2, 2021 was put to Murphy, she replied 'guilty.' After Murphy admitted the six charges, prosecuting barrister Sam Magee KC told Judge Donna McColgan that the Crown was leaving a charge of sexual touching of a child 'on the books not to be proceeded with.' Judge McColgan was also told the defence will be seeking psychiatric reports and that a Victim Impact Report will obtained by the Crown. As she has admitted sexual offences against a child, Murphy was placed on the Sex Offenders Register. The amount of time she will spend on this will be determined when she is sentenced. The Judge set the date for plea and sentence as August 22 then addressed the defendant directly and said: "Ms Murphy, you are released on continuing bail until that date. "Don't take that as any indication as to how the case will ultimately be disposed of."

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