Kate Middleton is the patron of the UK's Action for Children charity. The CEO Paul Carberry was charged with murder as a teen. Photo / Getty Images
Kate Middleton is the patron of the UK's Action for Children charity. The CEO Paul Carberry was charged with murder as a teen. Photo / Getty Images
When Kate Middleton met Paul Carberry, the man who would become the CEO of the children’s charity for which the princess is patron, she had no idea of his murderous past.
According to the Daily Mail, Carberry, now chief executive of Action for Children, stabbed a 21-year-old father-to-be on a train when he was just 16 years old. Charged the following year, he spent time in youth and adult prisons and was released in 1985, taking up a job as a social worker and rising through the ranks.
Speaking to the Mirror about the 1979 incident, the charity boss, who earns £154,500 ($315,000) for his role, revealed: “That’s something I’ve regretted every day of my life. A family did not have their loved one because of me.”
Paul Carberry is CEO of the UK's largest children's charity. He's also a convicted murderer. Photo / actionforchildren.org.uk
‘Of course. 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.”
Carberry also has a role on Scotland’s Serious and Organised Crime Taskforce where he is responsible for diverting people from becoming involved in serious organised crime.
He told the news outlet he had not previously spoken out about his past in respect of the victim’s family.
The Daily Mail alleges when he met the Princess of Wales last year at a primary school where they discussed how to teach children about emotions, she was unaware of his criminal conviction.
It is unclear whether the princess was made aware of Carberry's past when she met him last year. Photo / Getty
The fatal incident took place on a train carrying Scottish football fans to London for a match against England. According to reports, Carberry was a part of a Glasgow gang known as Goven Team and had been drinking beer and vodka.
Court documents detail that violence broke out after a member of his gang molested a female passenger. Carberry was carrying a flick knife and chased down his victim, John Murray, 21, stabbing him five times when he became trapped by a locked door.
Carberry was arrested when the train pulled into Cheshire. Pleading not guilty in court, he was sentenced under “Her Majesty’s pleasure” - meaning he was to be incarcerated until he was deemed safe to return to society.
In 1994, after years as a social worker, Carberry joined the UK’s largest children’s charity, Action for Children. A spokesman for the charity said:
“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.”
According to The Sun, AfC said the Palace was made aware of Carberry’s conviction when he became CEO in March. However, it is unclear if the princess was also made aware when she met with him last year.
