By Grâçia Ada Obi
A former ice hockey player and TV soap extra has been sentenced to 36 years in prison for raping and sexually abusing seven victims, including girls as young as 11.
Philip Hamer, 34, who played for Manchester Phoenix, also worked as an extra on Coronation Street, Hollyoaks, Little Boy Blue, and Last Tango in Halifax.
He used social media to groom his victims over a period of 13 years, keeping “trophy” images of his abuse. The prolific sex offender was found guilty of 41 charges, including eight counts of rape, six counts of sexual assault, six counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and one count of sexual activity with a child.
The offences took place between 2010 and 2023, with the first complaint against Hamer made in 2011. However, it wasn’t until 2023, when further victims came forward, that police expanded their investigation. Following a trial in November 2024, a jury found Hamer guilty by majority verdict on 21 additional charges after he had previously pleaded guilty to several offences.
During the trial, Manchester Crown Court heard that Hamer met one victim while working on the set of Hollyoaks and forcibly kissed her before later abusing her daughter. He also raped two friends and threatened to crash his car if they refused to have sex with him.
He also sent unsolicited images, tracked his victims’ movements, and coerced them into sending explicit content over seven years. Despite overwhelming evidence, he denied any wrongdoing. Investigators later found voyeuristic footage Hamer had taken of people in changing rooms who were not aware they were being filmed.
In a powerful statement read out in court, one survivor spoke of the long-term trauma she suffered as a result of Hamer’s abuse: “Philip Hamer, the man who took away my innocence at such a young age. The man who made me feel so ashamed of myself for so many years. The man that made me feel disgusted in myself.
“The man that made me feel so lonely as I was too afraid to open up to anyone – I couldn’t even speak to my mum, my friends, my family. 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.”
The victim added: “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. I can now continue to succeed in life, knowing I finally have the justice me and the other girls whose lives he impacted deserve.”
She added that Hamer’s actions isolated her from friends and affected her education, saying: “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 my relationships, making me feel guilty for what he did to me.”
Detective Constable Denise Garde said: “In his police interview, Hamer showed a denial for any wrongdoing in his actions. He did not believe that he was a sexual predator and that his actions caused severe harm and distress to his victims.
“He incited his victims to send him hundreds of pictures and videos over a period of seven years. One victim was in fear that Hamer may disclose the pictures to others or come to their address.
“After seizing his devices, we later found voyeuristic videos and pictures Hamer had taken of people in changing rooms who were not aware they were being filmed.
“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.
“Our commitment to protecting victims of sexual abuse is unwavering. Speaking out about sexual abuse is incredibly difficult, but I ask that those who believe they are going through something similar, report this to us.
“Time is no barrier when it comes to being sexually abused – no matter how long ago it was, or how old you were at the time, we will listen to you. We will support you, investigate, and act robustly against perpetrators. We will take your allegations seriously and treat you with dignity and respect.”
