COUNSELLING staff working in a building that formerly housed the disgraced Dr Roy Murray fear they are innocent victims in a backlash of hate that has followed his conviction.

Community Integrated Care are based at the Liverpool Road surgery formerly used by Murray, the family GP who has been convicted of indecently assaulting 23 women patients between 1981 and 1998.

Since his conviction, crude graffiti has been daubed on the building, which up until recently still carried a sign 'The Surgery'. Counsellors have also been confronted by a group of angry women.

The Liverpool Road site has been targeted even though the building has not been a doctor's surgery for several years and the counselling service has no involvement with St Helens Primary Care Trust.

Cathy Morris, service manager at the counselling agency, said: "It seems people think this is still a doctor's surgery, but it has not been for several years. We have had groups of women round the door screaming and shouting at staff and saying how can you work for a man like that. Abusive graffiti has been scrawled on the windows.

"They have shouted at us to take down the old surgery sign, which is fair enough. We want to make it clear to local people that this is no longer a doctor's surgery.

"We realise how angry people are but it is nothing to do with us and our staff have been really upset."

Murray is due to be sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court next month.