Latest news with #sexualoffense
Sky News
18 hours ago
- Sky News
Celebrity osteopath jailed for voyeurism after spying on thousands of women
A celebrity osteopath who secretly took pictures and videos of thousands of women has been jailed for three years and five months. Torben Stig Hersborg, from Tower Hamlets, east London, was found to have filmed and photographed around 2,000 women across more than a decade at his clinic in Old Street. The 64-year-old - labelled "one of London's most prolific voyeurs" - also recorded women on beaches, on footpaths, waiting at bus stops or for the Tube and when they were in their own homes. The Danish national - who had a celebrity client list including sports stars and actors - admitted to eight counts of voyeurism and was jailed at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Tuesday. Alex Weichselbaum, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "Hersborg operated in plain sight for too long. "Having targeted thousands of women over 12 years, we believe the scale and significance of his offending makes him one of London's most prolific voyeurs. "Hersborg deliberately abused the trust of his unwitting patients by filming them in intimate positions and targeted strangers for his own sexual gratification. "Women should be free to live their lives without unwanted intrusion - particularly from sexual offenders like Hersborg who deliberately chose to film or photograph them in their most private or intimate moments." Hersborg's crimes were revealed when a member of the public called the police in December last year after they saw him in the backseat of his vehicle, parked outside university accommodation in Islington, north London. He was sat on top of black plastic bags and wearing black gloves. A telescope was found in the car, as well as a video camera pointed at students inside the building. Officers found thousands of photos and videos on devices in his possession after his arrest, including images of women undressing in their own bedrooms and two of women having sexual intercourse. The women in the photographs and videos could not be identified, the CPS said.
The Independent
19 hours ago
- The Independent
Celebrity osteopath unmasked as serial voyeur jailed after spying on 2,000 women
A celebrity osteopath branded 'one of London's most prolific voyeurs' has been jailed for three years and five months for secretly taking pictures and videos of thousands of women. Danish national Torben Stig Hersborg, 64, of Tower Hamlets, east London, filmed and photographed around 2,000 women across more than a decade in his clinic in Old Street, north-east London, as well as on beaches, on footpaths, waiting at bus stops or for the Tube and when they were in their own homes. He was jailed at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Tuesday after admitting eight counts of voyeurism. The victims who were spied on could not be identified from the images, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said. Alex Weichselbaum, from the CPS, said: 'Hersborg operated in plain sight for too long and, having targeted thousands of women over 12 years, we believe the scale and significance of his offending makes him one of London's most prolific voyeurs. 'His meticulously planned acts included setting up secret cameras in his clinic and covertly filming women – both in public and when they thought they were in the privacy of their own homes. 'Hersborg deliberately abused the trust of his unwitting patients by filming them in intimate positions and targeted strangers for his own sexual gratification. 'Women should be free to live their lives without unwanted intrusion – particularly from sexual offenders like Hersborg who deliberately chose to film or photograph them in their most private or intimate moments.' The osteopath boasted a celebrity client list including Caroline Wozniacki and Anna Friel. His crimes were revealed when a member of the public called police in December last year after they saw Hersborg in the back seat of his Lexus vehicle parked outside university accommodation in Islington, north London. He was wearing black gloves and sat on top of black plastic bags, and a telescope and video camera were found in the car. After he was arrested, investigators found thousands of photos and videos on devices in his possession, including images of women undressing and two while they were having sex.
Malay Mail
2 days ago
- Malay Mail
‘Shut the gates': Singapore judge criticises victim-blaming tactics in sexual offence cases
SINGAPORE, July 21 — High Court Judge Vincent Hoong criticised inappropriate cross-examination tactics during sexual offense trials in Singapore, citing examples where lawyers made degrading suggestions to victims, including telling a rape victim's mother she 'could have easily avoided' assault by crossing her legs. In another disturbing case Hoong noted, a defence lawyer inappropriately stared at a molestation victim's breasts and asked her to stand up to demonstrate potential 'motive' for the assault based on her clothing, The Straits Times reported. Hoong, who also serves as presiding judge of the State Courts, delivered these remarks during a keynote address to Singapore Academy of Law members at a private event held on July 2, with the speech subsequently published on the Singapore Courts website. The judge said that courtrooms should not be battlegrounds and witness stands should not serve as arenas for humiliation, stating there is neither honour in extracting testimony through degradation nor skill in exploiting witnesses' emotional vulnerability. This judicial guidance follows Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon's December 2024 emphasis on judges taking more active supervisory roles in managing sexual offence cases, particularly regarding how complainants give evidence. New measures introduced in January include pretrial checklists designed to identify contentious issues, enabling judges to prevent irrelevant questioning during trials. Hoong acknowledged that while robust cross-examination within proper bounds remains essential for fair defence representation, inappropriate questioning can become traumatising without proper sensitivity. The judge specifically condemned questions that reinforce outdated victim-blaming notions, such as expectations that victims should physically resist attackers or immediately report crimes, calling such approaches gratuitously harmful and irrelevant. Defence lawyer Luo Ling Ling, who represents clients accused of sexual offenses, supports protecting victims while vigorously defending clients, sharing her experience of learning to balance tough questioning with respectful tone after witnessing a victim's emotional breakdown during cross-examination. Luo said that while she would still ask necessary challenging questions in similar cases, she would now employ a gentler approach after realising the impact of her questioning style on a young victim who was testifying via camera.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Yahoo
Mass. man pleads guilty to filming teen girls undressing, showering at Calif. hotel
A Winchester pleaded guilty to filming two 15-year-old girls undressing and showering three separate times at a California hotel while he chaperoned for their soccer game, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan's office said Friday. James Fantini, 56, pleaded guilty to three counts of photographing an unsuspecting person, and of unlawful wiretap in Woburn District Court on Wednesday, Ryan's office said in a statement. Judge Jane Prince sentenced Fantini to two and a half years in the House of Correction, followed by three years of probation, Ryan's office said. While on probation, he must wear a GPS, stay out of Winchester and not have contact with witnesses or anyone under the age of 18. In August 2024, Huntington Beach, California, police detectives sent videos from Fantini's phone to Winchester police and Ryan's office, the statement read. Two months earlier, Fantini was in California chaperoning for the soccer tournament when he tried to film two teenage girls undressing in a hotel bathroom by hiding his cell phone under a baseball hat. The girls immediately contacted the police, who searched Fantini's phone, Ryan's office said. After police looked at his phone, they found more videos of the girls, who said he was a parent in the community. Gang leader serving life sentence in Mass. used coded Monopoly card for drug trafficking Man charged in connection with April double slaying in Springfield Former Mass. firefighter gets prison sentence for stealing dead 13-year-old's identity Holyoke drug trafficker gets 6 years for having gun while on release from feds Mass. woman charged in connection with attacking 4 people she didn't know Read the original article on MassLive.
BreakingNews.ie
14-07-2025
- BreakingNews.ie
Man jailed for defiling employer's 15-year-old daughter
A man has been jailed for two years for the defilement of his employer's 15-year-old daughter. The 38-year-old man was convicted at the Central Criminal Court of one count of defilement of the girl at a location in Co Westmeath in October 2017. Advertisement He was acquitted by the jury on charges of allegedly raping the complainant and of one count of allegedly sexually assaulting this complainant's sister. The man has a previous conviction for assault and two road traffic offences. Passing sentence on Monday, Ms Justice Eileen Creedon imposed a two-and-a-half-year sentence, with the final six months suspended. Ms Justice Creedon noted the 'significant age disparity' between the man and the complainant and that he had engaged in a 'level of grooming' of the girl. Advertisement She said the man 'held a position of trust', which he abused and that the offending had a 'profound impact' on the complainant's career, education, mental and physical health. She noted the man does not accept the jury's verdict, has displayed no empathy towards the complainant and has not expressed remorse. The judge said there was 'very little by way of mitigation' in this case but noted the man's lack of previous convictions for sexual offending, his co-operation with the investigation and personal circumstances. Ms Justice Creedon suspended the final six months of the two-and-a-half-year sentence on strict conditions, including that the man place himself under the supervision of The Probation Service for 12 months post-release. She backdated the sentence to when the man entered custody last January. Advertisement An investigating garda told Garrett McCormack BL, prosecuting, the man had been working for his employer for a number of years. The employer noticed his 15-year-old daughter and the then 30-year-old man were becoming close. He asked her if anything was going on and she denied it but her behaviour became erratic and out of character with her personality. Her aunt noticed items of interest on her phone, and it was reported to the gardaí. The court heard evidence of multiple phone calls from the defendant to the girl's phone over a period of time, as well as text exchanges in the early hours of the morning. Advertisement The complainant told the court that following a text exchange the man had come into her home through a side window and had sex with her in her bedroom, before leaving the same way. The man left the employment in 2017 and gardaí were contacted in January 2018, the court heard. The defendant gave evidence during his trial denying the offences in their entirety. It was put to the complainant and her family during the trial that the complaints were revenge for the accused acting as a whistle-blower in relation to practices at the business. They denied this. In her victim impact statement, the young woman said her childhood had been taken too soon. She said her mental health deteriorated to almost a point beyond return. She said she once had a great life and opportunities but was left feeling so low. Advertisement She said it took her far too long to realise this was not her fault and that she was just a child. She said her enjoyment in her chosen career had been diminished as the man was also involved in this field. She pursued other avenues but this took her away from her family and home. She told the court she had been under the control of and groomed by a man who was trusted by her and her family. She said the man had been 'like family' to them. She said the impact on her life has been significant and the emotional toll immense. Six character witnesses took the stand to give references on behalf of the accused man. His wife told the court that she 100 per cent believed in his innocence and said he was a kind and loving man. She said lots of people were standing by him and anyone who knows him knows his loyalty and love for his friends. She said he was a good man who put himself before others. A neighbour said throughout many interactions he had found the man to be kind, caring and considerate. He said he was a person of sound character. Three family friends gave evidence characterising him variously as 'a genuine, decent, honourable, kind guy'; someone they 'trust completely' and someone they felt comfortable and safe with. His doctor said he had a high opinion of the man's character and could not speak highly enough of him. He said a custodial sentence would be hard for him to endure. Defence counsel, Blaise O'Carroll SC, said the court was dealing with an offence from 2017 which had been a long time coming before the court. He said his client going into custody has had devastating effects on his family and business. Ireland Former priest who sexually abused his three sister... Read More He submitted his client had been acquitted of eight of the nine counts on the indictment before being found guilty of the final count. He said his client's prior conviction for assault arose in the context of alcohol, putting him into a medium risk of re-offending. Counsel said his client's child has serious medical issues and the full burden of that care is now on his wife. Mr O'Carroll said his client had learning difficulties in his background but had gone into a field he adored and there were glowing references to his extraordinary ability in his career. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at or visit Rape Crisis Help .
