Hockey star who appeared in Hollyoaks jailed for r.a.p.i.n.g and a.b.u.s.i.n.g girls as young as 11

Phillip Hamer, 34, who had a career as a professional hockey player and actor, preyed on seven victims in a 13-year campaign of abuse, being convicted of 41 offences.

The rapist, who appeared on Hollyoaks and Coronation Street, kept horrific “trophy” pictures of his young victims.

He had a “wholly distorted view of children as s.e.x.u.a.l objects”, Manchester Crown Court heard.

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 s.e.x.u.a.l.l.y a.b.u.s.i.n.g them.

Hamer was 20 when he groomed his first victim, aged 14 at the time, by messaging them on Facebook.

He then went on to groom an 11-year-old through Snapchat when he was 27.

Hamer, of Birchfield Drive, Worsley, Greater Manchester, had admitted 20 offences but denied others, claiming one victim was “wanton” and “s.e.x.u.a.l.l.y 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.”

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.”

Police “spoke” to Hamer in 2011 but no police investigation was launched until one victim came forward in 2023.

Hamer was convicted of 41 offences between 2010 and 2023: nine counts of s.e.x.u.a.l activity with a child, s.e.x.u.a.l communication with a child, two counts of meeting a child after s.e.x.u.a.l grooming, one count of engaging in s.e.x.u.a.l 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 r.a.p.e, six counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in s.e.x.u.a.l activity, four counts of assault by penetration and two s.e.x.u.a.l assaults.