Kate 'unaware' £154,500-a-year charity boss was convicted murderer who stabbed man to death on train
28 May 2023, 08:20 | Updated: 28 May 2023, 10:15
The CEO of Kate Middleton's charity Action for Children has been revealed as a convicted murderer who stabbed a father-to-be to death on a train in 1979.
Paul Carberry, 60, met the Princess of Wales - who is Action for Children's patron - at an event last year alongside Prince William.
But the Princess was unaware that Mr Carberry is a convicted murderer, having stabbed John Murray, 21, to five times in 1979.
"That's something I've regretted every day of my life. A family did not have their loved one because of me," he told the Mirror.
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Mr Carberry, who also works with the Serious and Organised Crime Taskforce in Scotland, said the murder still haunts him.
He continued: "For me, and particularly the line of work that I'm in and coming from a close family, a loving family.
"That's absolutely been a factor in my life. And, actually, it's been a factor in what I've then done as a result."
Mr Carberry said he had not previously spoken about the murder out of respect for Mr Murray's family.
The charity CEO met the Princess of Wales at an event in St John's, Ivercyde, last May, with the pair discussing about how to teach children to control their emotions.
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On the day of the murder, Mr Carberry - 16 at the time - had been drinking beer and vodka, a court was told at the time.
He is believed to have been holding a flick knife as he chased Mr Murray on the train, first stabbing and wounding Michael McBain, 22, who was asleep on the train floor.
Mr Carberry then stabbed Mr Murray as the latter became trapped by a locked down. Mr Carberry was arrested when the train stopped in Warrington, Cheshire.
He was found guilty later that year, aged 17, but pleaded not guilty in court.
He told Chester Crown Court that he had confiscated the knife from someone else and says he lost his memory after getting headbutted by Mr Murray while arguing over a girl.
He was then given a sentence of Her Majesty's pleasure, meaning he was jailed for until it was considered safe to release him.
After spending several years in youth and adult prison, Mr Carberry was released in 1985, when he started his career in the charity industry.
A spokesman for Action for Children said: "The Trustees who appointed Paul Carberry as CEO did so in the full knowledge of his past, which is a matter of public record.
"He joined AfC as a manager in 1994. The organisation had full knowledge of his past.
"Paul has helped thousands of children and young people, including those involved in crime, helping many find jobs, avoid criminal exploitation and reach their potential.
"Prior to the interview for CEO, he had a discussion with the chair about his conviction.
"Chair Sarika Patel says he told her his time inside was a turning point and although he couldn't change what he did, he had dedicated his life and his rehabilitation to help vulnerable young people.
"Paul told us he did disclose his conviction before he became a member of Scotland's Serious Organised Crime Force."
