James Murray

James Murray, a 45-year-old man from Weston-super-Mare, was sentenced to nine years in prison at Bristol Crown Court on 17 October 2024 after pleading guilty to four counts of sexual assault, one count of perverting the course of justice, and careless driving.

The court heard that paramedics were called to a property in Weston-super-Mare where a woman was found in distress. Following enquiries by Avon and Somerset Police, the victim disclosed that Murray had sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions when she was not in a state to give consent. The assaults occurred while the victim was vulnerable, and Murray filmed the abuse on his phone for his own perverted gratification, as detailed in the prosecution's case.

After being remanded in custody, Murray attempted to interfere with the legal process by sending multiple letters to the victim, urging her to withdraw her complaint and disengage with the police. This behaviour formed the basis of the perverting the course of justice charge. In a separate incident, Murray was involved in careless driving, nearly colliding with two pedestrians after crashing into a fence adjacent to them before fleeing the scene prior to police arrival.

Detective Constable Jordan Prince, the officer in the case from Avon and Somerset Police, commended the victim's bravery, stating: 'I have to commend the victim who has shown exceptional bravery throughout the investigation and court process. She showed tremendous courage to speak out against Murray and support our enquiries.' DC Prince further described Murray's actions as 'vile acts against the victim when she was in a vulnerable state' and noted that police enquiries led to the recovery of the abusive videos, compelling Murray's guilty plea.

His Honour Judge Burgess KC, during sentencing, characterised the events as 'distressing' and 'difficult to comprehend', condemning Murray's treatment of the victim as 'degrading'. The judge remarked that Murray showed 'absolutely no respect for her or her feelings' and treated her as an 'inanimate thing' for his own gratification. In addition to the nine-year custodial sentence, Murray was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life, barring him from working with vulnerable children or adults. He also received a 15-year restraining order and nine points on his provisional driving licence.

The case was reported by The Weston Mercury, with coverage highlighting the importance of victims coming forward, as echoed by DC Prince: 'We, along with the victim, hope that other would-be victims of sexual offences hear about this case and have the courage to come forward and seek their own justice.'