Latest news with #upskirting
Telegraph
16-05-2025
- Telegraph
Protection officer accused of exposure and upskirting on public transport
A diplomatic protection officer accused of upskirting on public transport and exposing himself has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Christopher Herd, 48, a former sergeant in specialist operations with the Metropolitan Police, is accused of four offences in Essex over six months last year. Herd, who resigned from the force in March, is charged with one count of exposure in Manningtree in July last year, and three counts of recording an image under clothing without consent between March and August 2024 in Clacton-on-Sea. The Met, which has confirmed he worked for its parliamentary and diplomatic protection branch, said the alleged upskirting offences took place on public transport while Herd was on and off duty. Appearing at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on Friday, he confirmed his name, address and date of birth and pleaded not guilty to each of the charges. Herd wore a striped tie and black suit during the 10-minute hearing, during which prosecutors said the fact he was a police officer 'aggravates the offence'. Crown Court trial Asked which court he would prefer be tried in, Herd said: 'I would like to elect a crown court hearing please.' He will go on trial in June at Chelmsford Crown Court and he has been released on conditional bail. Deputy District Judge Jennifer Twite said his bail conditions included not being allowed to go on public transport unaccompanied and not contacting anyone under the age of 18 except his own children. He is also banned from deleting any photos or videos without the consent of police or from recording anyone in a public place. The Metropolitan Police said on Wednesday that Herd had been charged in April with a number of sexual offences following an investigation by officers in Essex. The force said he worked in Special Operations, but later confirmed he was attached to the parliamentary and diplomatic protection branch. Herd was arrested by Essex Police in August 2024 on suspicion of indecent exposure, which is alleged to have taken place while off duty. Following further enquiries, he was arrested again on suspicion of upskirting. The alleged offences are also said to have happened both when he was on and off duty while travelling on public transport. Following his arrest, he was suspended, and he resigned on March 1. The Met's Directorate of Professional Standards is aware of the case.
Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Former Met Police sergeant appears in court accused of upskirting while on duty and exposing himself
A police sergeant appeared in court today accused of upskirting when using public transport while on and off duty. Christopher Herd, 48, is also said to have exposed himself to an individual. He was arrested on August 30 last year on suspicion of committing indecent exposure while off-duty and was later arrested on suspicion of the other offences. Herd, of Capel St Mary in Suffolk, was suspended from his job with the Metropolitan Police following his arrest and resigned from the force on March 1. He appeared today at Chelmsford Magistrates Court, which heard he allegedly exposed himself to a person with the intention of causing them alarm or distress at Manningtree, Essex, on July 23 last year. Three other charges, all relating to incidents in Clacton, Essex, between March 12 and August 22 last year, allege he recorded an image under someone's clothing without consent for the purposes of obtaining sexual gratification. All the offences carry a maximum six-month jail term and an unlimited fine. Bearded Herd appeared in court for the short hearing dressed smartly in a dark suit with a shirt and striped tie. He spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address and – in a clear voice – to deny the charges. Asked if he wanted the case to be sent to crown court for a trial before a jury, he added: 'Please.' District Judge Jennifer Twite reconfirmed bail conditions, which include not having unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 18 with the exception of his own children, not recording people in public places and not using public transport unless in the company of a named individual. Herd must also avoid deleting any photos without permission and provide police with the pin number of any electronic devices. The court set a date of June 12 for a preliminary hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court. The judge said: 'I release you on bail until then. I also need to warn you if you do not attend the pre-trial and preparation hearing, there will be issued a warrant for your arrest. You are free to go.' Herd, who was charged on Tuesday, walked quickly from the courtroom and headed into a meeting with his defence counsel.
BBC News
16-05-2025
- BBC News
Ex-Met officer pleads not guilty to upskirting offence
A former police officer pleaded not guilty after being charged with upskirting on and off Herd, 48, used to work for the Metropolitan Police before he was charged by Essex Police with one count of indecent exposure and three counts of upskirting on 13 of Capel St Mary, Suffolk, was seen in court wearing a suit and tie and spoke to confirm him name, date of birth and address before entering his plea. The trial is due to take place at Chelmsford Crown Court on the 12 June 2025. It is claimed he took the images between March and July was suspended from his job when he was arrested and resigned on 1 was granted conditional bail, which stipulated he could not delete any pictures without consent from police, not to record anyone in a public place and not travel in public transport alone. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Celebrity osteopath trusted by stars and Olympians secretly filmed 2000 people in 10-year upskirting and voyeurism campaign
A celebrity osteopath trusted by stars and Olympians is facing jail after a ten-year campaign of voyeurism. Torben Hersborg, 63, was arrested and charged in December last year after being caught recording female university students as they got undressed. After his car had been spotted loitering in the area, he admitted to voyeurism on three different days. He also agreed to co-operate with police investigating the contents of electronic devices taken from his vehicle and family home in east London. A mass of videos and images dating back to 2012 were uncovered showing that he had been upskirting women and secretly recording people in private. Hersborg pleaded guilty to a further five charges of voyeurism at Snaresbrook crown court on Thursday via a videolink from HMP Pentonville, the Standard reports. The charges cover at least 2117 incidents between March 2012 and November last year with most of the charges relating to him 'recording a person doing a private act'. He also admitted at least 86 incidents of upskirting between November 2019 and August last year. When the charge were first brought against him, it was revealed that Hersborg was accused of spying on clients at the Central London Osteopathy and Sports Clinic in Old Street, central London. He also faced allegations of targeting students at their halls of residence in King's Cross and recording victims 'on beaches, footpaths, roads and bus stops. Hersborg, a Danish national, is said to be the childhood friend of actor Mads Mikkelsen and moved to the UK in 1984. The osteopath, who works to alleviate muscle and joint pain, boasts an extensive group of celebrity clients. These include the likes of Strictly Come Dancing contestant Viscountess Emma Weymouth. Hersborg also posted an image on his Instagram of himself and presenter Fearne Cotton after he helped her. Another image on his account from 109 shows him and famous musicians Ronnie Wood and Beverley Knight. To add to this, Hersborg helped provide his services for a number of the Sidemen YouTubers during their charity football match. As well as posting images of himself massaging the pictures, he poses alongside internet superstar KSI. He also counts tennis champion Caroline Wozniacki as a top client and his website boasts of work with Italian Serie A football team Brescia and being 'trusted by Olympic champions'. It was previously reported how he has a past conviction for upskirting from 1995 but this did not halt his career. Hersborg filmed women as they used the escalator on the London Underground system using a camcorder hidden in a plastic bag. News reports of his court hearing reveal that he was arrested at Leicester Square station on July 2, 1995, He reportedly told police he 'did not see anything wrong' with his activities but later admitted he did it 'simply for illicit thrills'. He received a £500 fine. Hersborg was arrested in December 2024 outside the Chapter student halls in Islington, after a member of the public spotted his distinctive Lexus lurking suspiciously on Collier Street. He was seen crawling around on the back seat of his vehicle, peering through a telescope at students inside their rooms When police arrived they discovered black bin liners carefully laid out across the back seat. A magistrates court was told that the same concerned resident had repeatedly tried to alert police about Hersborg's behaviour, only to be ignored at least once. He was found in possession of a camera and telescope, and later uncovered a disturbing stash of videos and claimed he was on the back seat of his car to 'relax'. One video showed a young woman wearing only a t-shirt, and he also had took images of her buttocks as she bent over. Another clip showed a student sitting on her bed, while a third was filmed in her bra, getting dressed. Despite initially claiming he was attending his judo class and stopping for a drink at his Chelsea club, Hersborg later admitted to voyeurism and agreed to help police in their investigation. The disgraced osteopath, who lives on Peartree Lane, Wapping, is now suspended from practising after the General Osteopathic Council confirmed he faces fitness to practise proceedings. The regulator revealed his 1995 conviction was known when he registered, but until this arrest no complaints had been made against him. A statement from the regulator said: ''We require all osteopaths to meet the which sets standards around knowledge, skills and behaviours for osteopaths and requires osteopaths to practise safely. If a concern is raised that calls this into question, we can investigate this and take action where necessary to protect patients and the public.' Hersborg, who has a grown-up daughter, is currently behind bars awaiting sentencing in July, and has been warned he could be facing a lengthy prison sentence.
BBC News
15-05-2025
- BBC News
Ex-Met Police officer in court for upskirting on and off duty
An ex-police sergeant has been accused of taking upskirting images when travelling on public transport while on and off Herd, 48, previously worked for the Metropolitan Police and was charged by Essex Police with one count of indecent exposure and three counts of upskirting on 13 Herd was arrested on 30 August on suspicion of indecent exposure while he was off duty, and later arrested on suspicion of the other defendant is due to appear at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on Friday. It is claimed he took the images between March and July was suspended from his job when he was arrested and resigned on 1 March. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
