A stabbing victim who almost died after his brother plunged a knife into his neck has broken his silence, declaring: “I can never forgive him.”

Tony Murphy, 26, needed emergency surgery following the murder bid by his younger brother Gary, who had fantasised about killing himself and taking with him somebody he hated.

He chose his brother Tony after plotting with their mother Alison Murphy, 52, to carry out the attack at her Copeland Avenue home in Whitehaven last year, a jury heard.

She was last week jailed for 17 years after a jury concluded she supported the deadly plot and found her guilty of attempted murder.

Gary Murphy, who admitted the same offence, was given an indefinite hospital order because he was judged to have a mental illness.

Speaking exclusively to the News & Star , Tony said he remained convinced his mother had not supported the plan to kill him and he vowed to continue his efforts to clear her name.

“This is all Gary's fault," said Tony.

“He's dragged my mother into it but even if she hadn't been involved I can never forgive him for what he's done. Both my mum and I were shocked by what he did. We just didn't expect it. After I was stabbed, my mum was as supportive as she could be.

“When she was arrested, I was shocked.”


Alison Murphy

During Alison Murphy's trial, the prosecution focused on evidence revealed by a series of text messages exchanged between her phone and the one carried by Gary Murphy.

Among the most incriminating texts was one sent an hour before the attack which told Gary: “I definitely think he should be killed but not sure stabbing is the right method.

"We should make him fall in the harbour or off a cliff.”

Alison Murphy admitted knowing that Gary had warned her of his murderous intentions if she let his his brother move back in to her home. Gary had told her: “I'll come down in the middle of the night and stab him to death on the sofa”.

When police asked her if she had sent the text message about killing Tony, she had replied: “Probably, possibly sent it. I could well have sent it. Something I would say in the heat of the moment."


Gary Murphy But she had no desire to see her son killed, she said.

Despite that evidence, Tony said he was standing by his mother.

“I know she's innocent,” he said. “She didn't send those text messages. I vaguely remember sending them.”

Tony said he had received letters from his mother in prison, and while the first of these showed her to be depressed more recent ones revealed that she was feeling more upbeat about her situation.

He said: “Hopefully, she can get through this. She is now my main concern. When I can, I will go to see her in prison.

"Her sentence was way too long. If it hadn't been for her ringing for an ambulance I wouldn't be here now.

“She was with me the whole time while I was recovering.”

He said he believes his mother planned to appeal against her attempted murder conviction. If that does not succeed, she will serve at least half of her 17 year term before she can be freed on licence.

In the meantime, Tony is about move into a house in the Whitehaven area so he can look after his mother's belongings and her dog.

Tony was stabbed at his mother's home on April 15 last year. Seconds after the attack, he realised what was happening and wrestled with Gary to disarm him.

After losing the knife, Gary asked his mother to get a hammer – presumably to carry on the attack, but she refused.

When he was arrested, Gary told police that he had planned first to kill Tony and then himself.