Ice hockey player who appeared on Coronation Street and Hollyoaks raped and sexually attacked women and girls, trial hears

A professional ice hockey player who appeared as an extra on Coronation Street and Hollyoaks sexually assaulted and raped a string of women and girls - and took 'trophy images' - a jury has been told.

Philip Hamer, 34, from Worsley, Salford, is accused of 'the manipulation, grooming and sexual abuse of female children in their early teens'. He denies 22 counts, including eight counts of rape.

Opening the case for the prosecution on Monday (November 11), Simon Reevell told a jury at Manchester Crown Court it was alleged the defendant sexually assaulted six females between 2015 and 2023, with some said to be adults at the time although 'others were still children'.

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The prosecutor said: "Some were attacked on a single occasion, for others their ordeal lasted for months or even years. 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."

Mr Reevell alleged the abuse 'principally' involved 'the manipulation, grooming and sexual abuse of female children in their early teens' the defendant was said to have met on Instagram.

The prosecutor told jurors: "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 from an accuser against Mr Hamer were first made in 2011, jurors were told. Mr Reevell said the defendant had pleaded guilty to having sex with her even though