Polly Murphy: Woman faces life sentence for murdering her partner James Self after she waged campaign of domestic abuse
A woman has been convicted of murdering her partner in a hotel room - and his mum says ‘kindness may have cost him his life’.
Polly Murphy attacked her partner James Self while they were staying away from home by the seaside.
She assaulted the 47-year-old on November 8, 2023 and he died in his mother’s arms in hospital six weeks later, on December 21.
Murphy has been in custody ever since and has now been found guilty of murder - she’ll be sentenced next month. James’ family and the police have urged anyone suffering from domestic violence or control to come forward for help.
In a statement, James’ mother Ashe said: “My beloved gentle son was in my arms when the dreaded heart monitor signalled the end of his six-week struggle for life. This was the beginning of what is now two years of living with the pain and grief of losing someone we shouldn't be living without.
“All the dreadful weeks of James's struggle with many difficult and painful procedures he endured without complaint. Like so many men James was embarrassed by the control and violence being inflicted on him. Sadly, he would never come forward to seek help.
“Knowing James as I do so well, I realise he would not have fully understood the violence or how to deal with it. He thought loving her would be enough. James always believed in the good in people. The two years since the fatal attack I have learned more about domestic violence and the profound effect it has on the victims. James went from being a sociable, happy person to a sad, uncertain and withdrawn one.
“His friends noticed the change in him. I do not know how we as a family have got through these past two years. It has changed all of us. The depth of sadness for not only his death, but the brutality inflicted on a caring and frankly vulnerable man. He had such a lot to live for. James is in my thoughts every day and will be for the rest of my life. I will never hear his voice again or hear him laugh. Never share in our family events. His kindness may have cost him his life.
“I feel broken in so many ways that I cannot explain but the support we have been given by everyone is deeply appreciated. Our friends, James's friends the family liaison officers, the homicide detectives and the police have all supported us through this unbearable time.”
The attack happened in a hotel in Hartley Brook Road in Clacton. Murphy, who is from Hornsey Lane Gardens in Highgate, London, was tried at Chelmsford Crown Court. James was also from London.
Detective Constable Anthony Kopf of the Essex and Kent Serious Crime Directorate, who was the officer in this case, said: “All our work for more than two years has been to secure justice for James.
“His family, who have conducted themselves with dignity in the face of the most challenging evidence, saw medical experts explain the extent of the injuries he sustained. Some of those injuries dated back to further assaults from Murphy – James had been enduring a sustained campaign of abuse at her hands. Text messages exchanged in the days and weeks leading up to Murphy’s attack in Clacton showed her increasingly volatile treatment of James, which ultimately and tragically culminated in that fatal assault.
“There were delays in the proceedings due to multiple changes in legal representation during the case. These changes did not affect the integrity of the investigation or the strength of the evidence presented by our team, nor the work of prosecutors Barnaby Shaw and Samantha Wright, supported by the Crown Prosecution Service. Murphy now faces a life sentence for her crimes. This case serves as a reminder that domestic abuse can affect anyone, including men. No one should feel ashamed to seek help.”