Judge clapped as paedophile jailed for 28 years

Independent

05-02-2025

A former ice hockey player and TV extra has been jailed for 28 years for the rape and sexual abuse of seven girls.
Victims of Philip Hamer clapped the judge and burst into tears in the public gallery at Manchester Crown Court as the defendant was jailed for 41 sexual offences.
Hamer, 34, who had been a professional hockey player and a bit-part actor on TV soaps, had a 'wholly distorted view of children as sexual objects', the court heard.
These were no relationships - you manipulated and groomed these young girls, inexperienced and impressionable as they were, in a way that was controlling and coercive
Judge Sarah Johnston
He was attracted to girls in their early to mid-teens, using social media including Snapchat and Instagram to target and make contact with his victims, manipulating and grooming the girls before sexually abusing them.
He was 20 when he groomed his first victim, aged 14, through Facebook in 2010 and went on to groom an 11-year-old, when he was aged 27, through Snapchat.
Hamer, of Birchfield Drive, Worsley, Greater Manchester, had admitted 20 offences but denied others, claiming one victim was 'wanton' and 'sexually experienced'.
But he was found guilty by a jury of a further 21 offences after a trial ending in November.
Jailing him for 28 years, with an extended licence period of eight years, Judge Sarah Johnston told the defendant: 'These were no relationships – you manipulated and groomed these young girls, inexperienced and impressionable as they were, in a way that was controlling and coercive.
'Your offending is both opportunistic and actively seeking out, manipulating, grooming, exploiting and the abuse of female children, mostly teens but including a child as young as 11.'
I have never had a successful relationship because of my trauma. It's completely messed up my whole life
Victim of Hamer
Victim impact statements detailed the trauma of the 'lost innocence' of youngsters he abused, some still having therapy or suffering issues with alcohol and self-harm.
One woman said: 'I have never had a successful relationship because of my trauma. It's completely messed up my whole life,' while another said: 'I pray you find God.'
Hamer would send unsolicited pictures and incited his victims to send him hundreds of pictures and videos, his sexual desires often involving school uniforms, his trial heard.
He often used his car to take his victims to isolated places where the abuse took place.
One victim feared that Hamer may disclose the pictures to others or come to their home.
Police also later found voyeuristic videos and pictures taken by Hamer of women in changing rooms who were not aware they were being filmed.
Allegations were made against him in 2011 and he was 'spoken to', the court heard, but no police investigation was launched until one victim came forward in 2023.
His phone was seized which contained 'trophy images' of sexual abuse, revealing him to be a prolific offender as detectives traced further victims.
Hamer was convicted of 41 offences between 2010 and 2023: nine counts of sexual activity with a child, sexual communication with a child, two counts of meeting a child after sexual grooming, one count of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, seven counts of taking indecent photos of a child, one count of taking voyeurism images, eight counts of rape, six counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, four counts of assault by penetration and two sexual assaults.