A Port Coquitlam city worker convicted last month of a sex assault that happened 25 years ago will leave his civic job.
Today (Monday), David Murray formally advised PoCo city managers he will retire at the end of January.
The 16-year employee is leaving on his own free will, PoCo’s chief administrative officer John Leeburn told The Tri-City News.
Previously, the city sought legal advice about Murray’s employment status after a PoCo provincial court judge convicted him on Oct. 25.
The assault took place in 1992 and involved a 14-year-old teen who worked for Murray at the time; a second charge of sexual interference was stayed by Crown Counsel before the trial started.
Murray, who has been on paid leave since Oct. 2 and has strong ties in the Tri-Cities and Ridge-Meadows sporting communities, took a temporary leave from his job last December but returned to work in February of this year. Then, he was assigned to a variety of non-public facing duties at the public works yard, a city spokesperson said.
Leeburn said Murray will not collect severance and has a number of vacations he accumulated during his service “which he will use prior to retiring,” he said.
Murray was also on Pitt Meadows city council at the time of his conviction; he quit the seat last month after mounting public pressure (the resignation is effective Jan. 2).
A date for his sentencing will be fixed on Jan. 10.
