Hollyoaks star and ex Team GB hockey player jailed after sexual abuse of seven girls

A former team GB ice hockey player and actor has been jailed for 28 years for the rape and sexual abuse of seven girls.

Philip Hamer appeared at Manchester Crown Court where he was jailed for a total of 41 sexual offences.

The court heard the 34-year-old, who played ice hockey for for Manchester Phoenix and also represented Great Britain appeared in bit parts in several shows including Hollyoaks, was said to have a “wholly distorted view of children as sexual objects”.

He was found guilty of 33 rape and assault charges over a period of 13-years between 2010 and 2023, in which he groomed and manipulated girls in their early-to-mid teens using social media apps.

During his trial it was revealed Hamer sent unsolicited pictures to his victims and tracked their movements.

Over a period of seven years, he incited his victims to send him hundreds of pictures and videos. One victim said they feared he may disclose the pictures to others or come to their home.

Police also found voyeuristic videos and pictures taken by Hamer of women in changing rooms who were not aware they were being filmed.

Jailing him for 28 years, with an extended licence period of eight years, Judge Sarah Johnston told him: “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, with some confessing they are still having therapy or suffering issues with alcohol and self-harm because of his actions.

One person 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.”

His victims applauded and burst into tears when his sentence was announced.

Hamer was convicted of 41 offences which took place 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.