A former ice hockey star and TV soap extra has been jailed for the rape and sexual assault of eight victims, including a child as young as 11.
Philip Hamer, who appeared on Hollyoaks and Coronation Street as an extra, was found guilty of 33 rape and assault charges over a 13-year spree between 2010 and 2023, in which he groomed and manipulated girls in their early-to-mid teens using social media apps.
Hamer, of Birchfield Drive in Worsley, sent unsolicited pictures to his victims and tracked their movements, and over a period of seven years he incited his victims to send hundreds of pictures and videos.
Victims clapped the judge and burst into tears in the public gallery at Manchester Crown Court as the was jailed for 41 sexual offences.
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.”
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 victim said: “Philip Hamer, the man who took away my innocence at such a young age.
“He made me feel fear, distress and trauma no young girl should have to go through. He took away my spark and gave me so much anxiety.
“For years I was too ashamed to look at myself in the mirror, as all I saw was the girl that man lusted over.
“He will never earn my forgiveness for what he did to me. He doesn’t deserve it. But I am no longer going to let him have a hold on my life like he once did.”
She added: “When I should have been enjoying school, growing up having new experiences with friends, I was controlled by that man, making me believe that he would disclose my worst secrets to my friends.
“This impacted on my relationships, making me feel guilty for what he did to me.”
Detective Constable Denise Garde, of Greater Manchester Police, said after his conviction at the end of last year: “Much of Hamer’s offending followed a similar theme – he was sexually attracted to girls in their early to mid-teens, his car was often used to take his victims to isolated places and was routinely stocked with towels and wipes. His sexual desires involved his victims wearing school uniforms.
“He persisted in offending despite knowing that he was the subject of a police investigation into underage sexual activity, such was his arrogance to fulfil his sexual desires.”
The 34-year-old was a professional ice hockey player for Manchester Phoenix in the Elite Ice Hockey League and represented Great Britain in inline hockey at seven world championships, having played for the national team since youth level.
Hamer also worked as a TV extra on British soap programmes. One of his victims was an actor on the set of a show he was working on.
The sex offender’s phone was seized after one of his victims came forward, allowing Greater Manchester Police to trace further victims, the force said.
Officers also found pictures and videos Hamer had taken of people in changing rooms who were not aware they were being filmed.
Hamer approached his victims on Snapchat and Instagram, used his real name and sent them direct messages with “little attempt to disguise who he was”, DC Garde added.
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.
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.
DC Garde said: “Hamer managed to instil fear in his victims – he was much older than them, he offered them lifts in his car so he knew where they lived. He groomed the victims and survivors at the centre of their case, instilled fear, and exploited their vulnerabilities.
“It took one brave victim to come forward, speak to our officers and detail their abuse. This opened up the whole case and resulted in us obtaining evidence that Hamer was a prolific sex offender.”
