Mr Murphy, who was first elected in 2003, beat challenger John Le Maistre by 1,040 votes to 641 after an election that saw a 53% turnout. The result, announced by returning officer Jurat John Tibbo at 8.50 pm, was welcomed by a hugely relieved Mr Murphy (67), who said he was pleased by both the result and the turnout. And he hoped that the rift in the parish caused by the clashes between himself and Mr Le Maistre, a farmer with decades of service to Grouville behind him, could be put to bed.
