An arrogant man who thought he'd got away with it; Sarah Chapman hears the stories of Murray's victims.

Byline: Sarah Chapman

DR MURRAY'S victims have one word to describe the man they trusted for years -- arrogant.

For almost 14 years, the disgraced doctor was sure the 23 women he indecently assaulted in his surgery would never speak out against his abuse.

But two years ago, one of them confided in a counsellor, the police were informed and an investigation started which led to his downfall.

Murray's victims, who were praised by police for their courage in coming forward, had to relive their ordeal during a trial which lasted nine weeks.

Some broke down in tears as they gave evidence, many were visibly shake and all of them were angry that their trust as well as their bodies had been abused.

All the arrogance with which he dealt with them in the St Helens surgery was demonstrated in the courtroom when he repeatedly lied while giving evidence.

When his victims finally saw Murray being led away to a prison cell, they applauded.

None of his victims can be identified for legal reasons.

A 38-year-old mother of -three said her cousin was also indecently assaulted by Murray.

She said: ``I first went to visit him with my mum when I was about 14 or 15, but he did not start indecently assaulting me until I was 17.

``He gave me an internal every six months, when I went for repeat prescriptions for the pill.

``I suppose I was naive, but I did what I was told, because you believe your doctor.

``It was difficult to come to terms with it because I was brought up to respect the doctor and do whatever they told you.

``What he has done is grotesque and awful.

``I wasn't really bothered about how many years he was going to be sentenced to, I was more concerned about being believed by the jury.

``I think Murray used his position in order to sexually abuse women. He knew he would get away with it because he thought people would always side with the doctor rather than an ordinary woman like me. ''

Another woman, a 51-year-old teacher, said Murray's conduct has destroyed her confidence in doctors.

She said: ``I am disgusted Dr Murray was able to get away with it for so long. ``The sentence of six years is just not long enough.

``He should have got the maximum. ''

Another victim, a 45-year-old mother-of-five, said what she suffered at the hands of Murray had left her psychologically scarred.

She said: ``Dr Murray has had a big impact on my life.

``I have had to live with what he did to me for 23 years and it led to me having a breakdown and I now have to go to a mental health clinic and have been put on medication.

``I confided in a friend about 20 years ago, but I didn't go to the police then, because I was naive and didn't know what to do.

``Because it's your doctor, you doubt yourself and think you've misunderstood something and you think, `who would believe me?' ``When I heard Dr Murray had been charged with indecent assault, that's when I came forward.

``Going through the trial was awful, it was so embarrassing having to tell a room full of strangers intimate details.

``I was a bag of nerves, I was hysterical at one point, and I gave evidence from behind screens.

``But Dr Murray looked at me over his glasses and it brought it all back to me, which made it harder to say what had happened to me, but I was determined to go in there and tell the truth.

``I've not been to the doctor on my own for 20 years, I always take my husband in with me, because I'm scared.

``I won't even be alone anywhere where there are workmen. ''

CAPTION(S):

Some of the victims leave court after Murray was sentenced; Picture: MARTIN BIRCHALL