An Essex pensioner has been jailed after he secretly filmed himself giving sports massages to young girls and possessing indecent images of children.

Hugh Hunter’s vile videos were found on USB sticks after police raided his home in Irvon Hill Road, Wickford, last year.

The 74-year-old’s home came to police’s attention after officers discovered an IP address had been used to access indecent images of children.

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After raiding the home while Hunter and his partner were present, police seized numerous devices, on which dozens of images were found, plus the voyeuristic videos on the USB sticks.

The videos were made when Hunter was working as a sports massage therapist to at least two young girls over a five year period.

Hunter attempted to claim he did not have a sexual interest in children, and that he recorded the videos due to fears the girls would accuse him of inappropriately touching them.

But this was rejected by Judge Shane Collery at Hunter’s sentencing at Southend Crown Court on Wednesday (December 8), saying Hunter did it for his own gratification.

The court heard that Hunter had 62 category A images of child abuse – the most serious kind – along with 36 category B and 365 category C.

Prosecuting, James Lofthouse said: “Various recordings were made by Mr Hunter himself and on USB sticks, made certainly without the girls or parents knowing they were being recorded. These occurred over a number of years.

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“They were able to be identified in their house.”

Mr Lofthouse said that one of the girls had been made to feel “uncomfortable” when Hunter asked her to remove items of clothing.

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Source: https://www.essexlive.news/news/essex-news/essex-crime-wickford-man-74-6330653