MICHAEL PATRICK MURPHY

ARMED ROBBER, ESCAPEE AND SEX MURDERER, LIFE IN PRISON, NEVER TO BE RELEASED

Sketch of Michael Murphy by Robert A. Wood

Over the past days I have received numerous phone calls and messages from retired Prison Officers and others who have no dealings with the prison system, ensuring that I am aware that Michael Patrick Murphy had been admitted to palliative care.  To my mind, this means he has less than a few weeks to live.

The majority of those callers expressed a view of, “Will he have suffered enough”.  On 2^nd February 1986, Murphy, in the company of John Travers and Michael Murdock along with Murphy’s two brothers Lesley and Gary Murphy, committed one of Australia’s most heinous crimes when they abducted, robbed, raped and savagely brutalised and murdered 26 year old Sydney nurse Anita Lorraine Cobby in the most gruesome and humiliating manner ever known to man. 

For these horrific crimes, all five murderers were sentenced to Penal Servitude for Life with a recommendation “Never to be Released”.

Michael Patrick Murphy’s criminal history is as follows:-

  He was born in 1952

 Michael Patrick Murphy’s juvenile records are sealed.  I believe in special circumstances like Murphy’s the public are entitled to know all there is to know about him.

The adult criminal record of Michael Murphy began in 1970 when he was convicted of stealing a motor vehicle and granted 12 months probation. 

In May 1972 he was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment with hard labour with a 6 months non-parole period, for stealing a motor vehicle.   There would be no turning back from this point forward for Murphy.

Whilst still in prison, In August 1972 Murphy received an additional 12 years imprisonment with hard labour for robbery in company, break, enter and steal and break, enter and steal with an armed person.

Murphy was paroled in May 1976.

In October 1977 his parole was revoked

In July 1978 he received 8 years imprisonment with hard labour, plus balance of parole for break enter and steal and larceny.

In November 1979 Murphy was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment with hard labour for attempting to escape from Her Majesties Prison Parramatta.

On 29^th April 1983 Murphy escaped lawful custody.

In March 1984 he received 1 month penal servitude for escaping lawful custody on 29^th April 1983.

On the 27^th December 1985 Murphy again escaped lawful custody, this time from Silverwater Correctional Centre.

On the 10^th June 1987 Michael Patrick Murphy was sentenced to penal for life imprisonment, plus 45 years P. S. With the trial Judge recommending, “Never to be released” for his part in the atrocities committed in the Anita Cobby Murder.

On Monday 15^th February 1988 Murphy received a “Token” prison sentence of a further 9 months Penal servitude for escape lawful custody from Silverwater Correctional Centre on the 27^th December 1985.

For cases such as Michael Murphy’s, I believe in capital punishment as being most appropriate.  This may sound harsh and I am sometimes asked if I would be prepared to pull the lever.  In Michael Murphy’s case my answer is always, “Absolutely”.

Early on, the do-gooders painted Murphy as a modern day Ned Kelly.  The only similarity is that they both have Irish/Catholic heritage.  They claimed that Murphy, being the eldest boy in a large family, began his criminal career in order to help his mother support the family.  Perhaps he could have tried finding a legitimate job. 

The crimes that he committed and escalated to, were beyond comprehension when he, with his four fellow murderers, kidnapped, brutalised, tortured, sodomised and murdered Anita Cobby, leaving her exposed to the elements, naked, in a paddock until found two days later by a hapless farmer.   

You can read more about Michael Patrick Murphy in my latest book “Australia’s Best Prison Stories”.  There will also be a major chapter on Murphy in my next book due out within a few months’, titled “Officers, Criminals and Amazing Prison Stories”. 

May God forgive his soul because I am unable to.

This I believe.

Peter T. Egge

EX SENIOR PRISON OFFICER

MICHAEL KAY

Senior Prison Officer Michael Kay

I was saddened to see and hear of the arrest of ex Senior Prison Officer Michael Kay in today’s media.  He suffers severely from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). 

Michael’s career as a Prison Officer started in October 1979 as a Probationary Prison Officer at Parramatta Gaol.  His career extended over 31 years, during which time he was subject to being involved with seven separate murders at Parramatta Gaol.  He was involved in three separate prison riots at Parramatta and Parklea Prisons and he was directly involved in the worst prison escape by two drug lords, one from Mexico and the other a Spaniard, both wanted for murder and major drug offenses in America.  He witnessed several deaths in custody and had at least five of his fellow Prison Officers take their own lives. 

He had been arrested for firearm offenses that were unfounded for which he received a “No Bill” on two of them and received a Section 556A, (no conviction recorded, on the third offense), which was involving an antique pistol that did not require a license at that time.  He had been bullied and harassed by prison management and received little help from the Department of Corrective Services for his PTSD.  He was retired on medical grounds in 2010.

To read more in depth information on the rise and fall of Michael Kay’s career, read my latest eBook Australia’s Best Prison Stories available on Amazon.

I hope and pray that the New South Wales legal system will treat Mr. Kay with the utmost courtesy and respect for his service to the people of New South Wales, keeping in mind his severe PTSD.  I wish Mr. Kay a speedy recovery and a fair hearing.

This I believe.

Peter T Egge