A Scots police officer sexually assaulted a schoolgirl at a party after plying her and other underage girls with alcohol.
Alexander Murphy touched the 15-year-old inappropriately at a bash he let his daughter host at their home - while his wife was away.
He touched the youngster after previously telling her that she was his ‘favourite’ and that he thought she was ‘cute - but not in a paedophile way’.
And Hamilton Sheriff Court heard he asked her if she would “come up to bed and stay” if he did a handstand for her - and touched his crotch while doing gymnastics moves.
And Murphy, who has since resigned from the force in disgrace, was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register today/yesterday (FRI) after holding his hands up to his “creepy” actions.
Murphy, 49, appeared in the dock for a pre-trial hearing and pleaded guilty to two of the four charges he faced.
He admitted sexually assaulting a girl, who can’t be named for legal reasons, and committing a breach of the peace by supplying alcohol to underage girls and making inappropriate remarks to them, at a property in Lanarkshire.
Procurator Fiscal Depute Alice Carey said the crimes were committed on March 8, 2019.
The prosecutor said Murphy took his daughter and some of her friends, including the girl he went on to sexually assault, to a local off sales.
She explained: “They got Dragon Soup and a bottle of Echo Falls wine each.
“They all started drinking. The accused decreed more people were allowed to attend, but only girls because he wanted a girlfriend.
“More girls arrived and the accused went to the off sales to get more alcohol for the girls who’d also attended.”
The court also heard he bought a litre of vodka from the mother of one of the girls when she was being dropped off.
And he sold it on to two other girls who did not have any alcohol - by measuring it out into the equivalent of two quarter bottles and charging them £5 each.
The prosecutor said some of the girls at the party ended up really drunk, as did Murphy.
She explained: “He started acting inappropriately, asking the girls their ages and saying, ‘I better not tell my wife, I’ll get into trouble’.”
He put his hand onto one of the girls’ knees and rubbed it while she was sitting down, and then placed his hands on her hips while they were dancing.
And the court heard he had previously said to the girl, ‘You’re my favourite, you’re a wee cutie. You’ve got a cute smile, but I don’t mean it in a pedophile way’.
Miss Carey added: “Many of the girls were concerned and thought he was being creepy.
“Three boys arrived at the party and did not drink alcohol.
“They did not see anything inappropriate on the part of the accused.
“They said he was drunk and was hovering about speaking nonsense.
“They felt sorry for his daughter who was trying to get him up the stairs to bed to get him out of the way.”
And she said that, whilst he was doing “some sort of gymnastics move” he was touching his crotch at the same time.
The matter was later reported to police and Murphy, who was based in Livingston at the time, admitted what he’d done when interviewed.
Defence solicitor Iain Cahill said it was accepted by prosecutors he had “recklessly” touched the girl sexually rather than deliberately sexually assaulting her.
And he said he had resigned from his job as a police officer.
Sheriff Mungo Bovey QC called for background reports to be prepared, placed Murphy, of Paisley, on the Sex Offenders’ Register, and adjourned the case until next month.
