"Odious" Voyeur Jailed For Spying On Naked Hospital Patients

A mental health support worker studying for a nursing degree has been jailed for secretly filming female patients in the changing rooms of two Manchester hospitals to satisfy his "alter-ego" who exists in a "secret world."

Christian Connor, 27, says he got a "buzz" from spying on his victims and also recorded women in the bathroom of his shared house and groomed a 13 year-old boy to send intimate images of himself.

However, Isleworth Crown Court Judge Douglas Moore told him: "Words like 'manipulative', 'despicable', 'merciless' and 'odious' spring to mind," jailing the first-time offender for sixteen months.

Connor, of Norwood Road, Stretford, Manchester pleaded guilty to eight counts of voyeurism for the purpose of sexual gratification; three counts of possessing under-age and extreme pornography and one count of encouraging the making and distributing of indecent images.

The offences, which occurred between September 1, 2010 and April 16, last year, took place at Prestwich Hospital, Prestwich; Salford Royal Hospital, Salford and a rented house in Mildred Street, Salford.

Connor was caught after befriending a 13 year-old boy from Hounslow, west London on the internet and persuading him to send images of his feet to an email address. The boy refused requests to send pictures of his genitals.

Officers traced him and seized his computer, which contained the secret footage he filmed in the hospitals and the bathroom of the home he shared with his girlfriend as well as sick child and extreme pornography.

"You behaved in an appalling way showing a complete abuse of trust, targeting young people and individuals that you knew," Judge Moore told him. "You were within the mental health unit where people are seeking help and need security  and you showed a ruthless disregard for their well-being.

"You took photos of individuals in your shared house when they were taking baths and showers and these people people thought you were a friend. You showed no mercy to those individuals."

Police seized 411 images mostly made up of Connor's secret filming, plus 12 more from the internet at Category A - the most serious.

Prosecutor Mr. Martin Hooper said: "He told the officers he had a foot fetish and was aroused by his ability to manipulate other people and stated the images were for his enjoyment. He also admitted downloading extreme pornography and child pornography."

Connor's lawyer Miss Penelope Blake: "He was living in this secret world where he was compelled by this addictive personality, this foot fetish, to commit the offences he did.

"It was a manifestation of his addiction, his obsession. This is not something he will be doing again and he is nothing but embarrassed, ashamed and disgusted.

"From an early age he wanted to spy on everyone and this grew into addictive, obsessive behaviour. He says he gets a 'buzz' from it and being in a position of power.

"There is almost an alter-ego person different to his day-to-day self," added Miss Blake, who confirmed Connor has sought counselling since his arrest.

He was employed as an NHS support worker for six years, but was forced to abandon his degree studies two years in when arrested. Connor's mother is an auxiliary nurse and his father, who supported him in court, a management accountant.

"He has lost his sister, who says she wants nothing more to do with him, his girlfriend, his friends and the stigma of these offences will follow him for the rest of his life. He'll be on the sex offenders register."

The victims of Connor's voyeurism gave impact statements and used words such as "shocked," "bemused," "nightmare," and one subsequently suffered panic attacks.

Judge Moore added: "This is an abuse of trust case because he worked within a mental health unit and he was a mental health support worker at the time.

"A mental health unit demonstrates clear vulnerability and one victim is reluctant to return because she no longer feels safe there."

Connor will also be subject to a ten-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order.