Ex-ice hockey player and Coronation Street extra GUILTY of sickening rapes and abuse

A former ice hockey player and TV extra faces a lengthy jail sentence for a campaign of rape and sexual abuse.

Philip Hamer, who had also worked as an extra for TV including Coronation Street and Hollyoaks, had already admitted a string of sex crimes committed against children. But following a trial he has now been found guilty of a further 21 charges, including eight counts of rape.

In total, seven females became Hamer’s victims. Hamer, who also had jobs at Manchester United and Manchester City, was responsible for the ‘manipulation, grooming and sexual abuse of female children in their early teens', prosecutors told Manchester Crown Court.

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Hamer preyed on his victims between 2015 and last year. "Some were attacked on a single occasion, for others their ordeal lasted for months or even years,” prosecutor Simon Reevell said.

“What is common to all of the offending is the attitude of Mr Hamer towards the woman or child in question – one of utter indifference as to whether or not his advances were welcome as he simply prioritised his sexual desires."

Hamer met a number of his victims on social media. Mr Reevell said of the defendant: "He appears to have been a professional ice hockey player and an extra in a number of television programmes including Coronation Street and Hollyoaks. He may also have been linked in some non-playing capacity to both Manchester City and Manchester United."

Allegations were first made against Hamer in 2011. But a 'full police investigation' only commenced early last year when a second accuser got in touch with police and alleged she was raped by him when she was 17 or 18.

When police seized the