This Is Guernsey

TEACHER Moira Murphy deserves the support of her school and the community on her release from prison for drink-driving, according to PTA committee member Jon Bisson.

He said the La Mare de Carteret Primary School teacher was an asset the school could not afford to lose.

The mother of John Murphy, who sustained serious injuries when he was dragged along Fort Road by a car in November, was on Thursday jailed for four weeks for being more than three times the drink-drive limit when she was stopped on 9 February by police for driving erratically.

She has a similar conviction from eight-and-a-half years ago.

But Mr Bisson said it would be a terrible mistake if the school dismissed her as a result of what she had done when it followed what had happened to her son and shortly after her fiance had been diagnosed with cancer.

‘I hope the Education Department can look beyond the stain on her character because she is an excellent teacher.

‘And I hope they see that this is not the case of a serial drink-driver but someone who was under a lot of pressure and had a lot of sadness in her life at that moment.

‘Having to explain to my daughter that one of her favourite teachers had gone to prison for four weeks was very difficult.’

Education has so far refused to comment as to whether Murphy would keep her job, while head teacher Kevin Hinshaw said yesterday that any comment on the matter would have to come from the department.

Mr Bisson said that what the 56-year-old had achieved at La Mare should not be forgotten.

‘She has been a key part in turning that school around with Mr Hinshaw over the past 10 years or so.

‘There was a real love for her from the pupils and she had a lot of respect.

‘Guernsey is a caring environment and what we should do is not castigate but embrace her when she is released and get her back to teaching and remind ourselves that she is a wonderful member of our community.

‘She was absolutely swamped by students in the playground wanting to hold her hand and was extremely popular.’

Murphy received a three-year driving ban in 1998 and despite Advocate Rachel Eeles urging assistant-Magistrate Philip Robey on Thursday to ignore the previous offence because it happened so long ago and to impose a suspended sentence or community service for the latest offence, Mr Robey said he could not do so.

He said the reading of 119 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath was ‘exceptionally high’, but because of the powerful mitigation he restricted the sentence to four weeks instead of the possible six.

Mr Bisson said: ‘She is going to take her punishment and she will have served her time and she should be supported.

‘Most of the PTA members’ children would have been taught by her and I’m sure they all support her too.

‘It’s a mark on her character, but the bigger picture must be taken into consideration.’