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Celebrity osteopath who spied on thousands of women for more than a decade jailed

Source: Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) published on this website Tuesday 29 July 2025

A celebrity osteopath who is thought to be one of London’s most prolific ever voyeurs was jailed for three years today, after he admitted taking intimate images and videos of thousands of women without their knowledge.

Torben Stig Hersborg, 64, of Tower Hamlets, London, took secret pictures and videos of approximately 2,000 women in his clinic, in public and private places and students living in university accommodations across London for more than a decade.

The scale of his offences – revealed for the first time in court yesterday by prosecutors – suggests he is one of the capital’s most prolific ever voyeurs.

Hersborg, a Danish national, boasts a string of high-profile celebrity clients including TV personalities and Olympians, and has been pictured with some of the nation’s most famous faces.

He was jailed for three years and five months after prosecutors built a strong case against him, even though victims couldn’t be identified, and as a result he pleaded guilty to eight serious charges at the earliest possible opportunity.

Alex Weichselbaum of the Crown Prosecution Service 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.”

A phone call to the police:

In December 2024, a member of the public contacted the police after they spotted a suspicious vehicle outside university accommodation in Islington, north London.

Hersborg was seen in the back seat of a dark Lexus wearing black gloves and sat on seats lined with black plastic bags. A search of the vehicle found a telescope in the footwell and a video camera with black tape around the lens, pointed at students living inside.

A hard drive, SD cards and recording device were all recovered and analysed after Hersborg was arrested and were found to contain thousands of files containing images and videos of victims.

It soon became clear that women were filmed without their knowledge in Hersborg’s private practice in Old Street, at beaches, on footpaths, waiting at bus stops or for the tube and when they were in their own homes.

Some pictures and videos showed victims undressing in their bedrooms and bathrooms. On two videos found on his SD cards, women were filmed having sexual intercourse without their knowledge.

Building an evidence-led case:

Despite not being able to identify any of the women who appear in the videos and photographs, nor obtain statements from them, prosecutors were determined to secure justice for every one of Hersborg’s victims.

By focusing on the digital material, which showed thousands of different women being filmed and photographed without their knowledge, the Crown Prosecution Service focused on an evidence-led approach which identified consistent patterns of offending.

They built a picture of Hersborg’s motive – which over a 12-year period consistently saw him use secret or concealed cameras to focus on intimate areas of the body or when women were in private situations in their home.

Working closely with officers from the Metropolitan Police, the prosecution team was able to bring an overwhelming volume of digital evidence to court at the first hearing in December 2024, which saw Hersborg plead guilty to multiple voyeurism charges.

After his devices were analysed by officers, Hersborg was later charged with five further counts of voyeurism and admitted all of these offences at a separate court hearing in January 2025.

Former nursery worker convicted of child cruelty offences

Source: Metropolitan Police published on this website Wednesday 18 June 2025 by Jill Powell

Former nursery worker found guilty of child cruelty against children in her care. A 22-year-old nursery worker has been found guilty of 21 counts of child cruelty after she abused multiple children in her care.

Roksana Helena Lecka, 22 of Avro Place, Hounslow appeared at Kingston Crown Court on Monday, 16 June, where following a six-week-trial was found guilty of 21 counts of child cruelty.

She was brought to justice after a Met investigation found Lecka had abused children as young as ten months at two separate nurseries in Twickenham and Hounslow between October 2023 and June 2024. Met Officers first began investigating Lecka in June 2024, following concerns from a diligent staff member at the nursery about Lecka’s behaviour.

Investigators unveiled shocking CCTV footage which showed Lecka repeatedly pinching the children and roughly placing them on the floor causing the victims to be cry and appear distressed. The footage also showed Lecka vaping less than a metre from a small baby on more than one occasion. Met Police officers were called to the location and reviewed over 45 hours of CCTV from 28 June 2024.

Statements were taken from the children’s parents and multiple red marks, bruises and scratches were located on the children a number of parents provided pictures of the injuries found on their children. The victim’s families received specialist support from officers.

After these enquiries had taken place, Lecka was arrested at her home on 5 July on suspicion of child cruelty offences. During interview, she answered no comment to all questions and refused to acknowledge her actions when shown the CCTV footage. She was released on bail whilst officers within the Child Abuse Investigation Team continued enquiries.

Detective Sergeant Geoff Boye of Met Police’s Public Protection Command said:

“As our officers continued to review over 300 hours of CCTV, it became clear that Lecka’s offending was prolific. Footage showed Lecka carrying out multiple assaults on the children in her care which included repeatedly pinching and grabbing children, dropping babies into their cots and on one occasion, she delivered several kicks to a young boy to the face and stepped on his shoulder.

“She was further arrested and charged on 25 July 2024 with 12 counts of child cruelty, 12 counts of actual bodily harm and one count of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent.”

Following an initial appearance in court, this indictment was amended to 24 counts of child cruelty against 24 separate children.

Lecka was convicted on Monday, 16 June of 21 counts of child cruelty. The jury found her not guilty on three counts. She will appear at Kingston Crown Court on Friday, 26 September for sentencing.

Abusive care home manager jailed

Source: Northumbria Police published on this website Tuesday 13 May 2025 by Jill Powell

A care home manager in the North East who physically and sexually abused residents has been jailed for three years and three months.

Concerns were first raised around William Malcolm’s inappropriate and unprofessional conduct in 2022 and then began a complex and long-running investigation.

Malcolm, 61, who was also a registered mental health nurse, was caring for vulnerable and elderly residents in the home.

His treatment of both people in his care and non-residents started to alarm employees who say they witnessed a range of disturbing events.

Witnesses say they saw Malcolm use hateful names towards people, swear at them, simulate sex with them and, in some cases, sexually assault them.

After being arrested, Malcolm was charged with a string of offences in November 2023.

Malcolm, of West Hope Close, South Tyneside, denied all the charges.

Last month, a jury at Newcastle Crown Court unanimously found him guilty of 13 offences – 10 charges of sexual assault, two of ill-treating a person in care and one racially aggravated harassment.

He was sentenced to three years and three months’ imprisonment.

Malcolm will also spend the rest of his life on the Sex Offenders’ Register and was given a string of supplementary orders to further protect the public, including multiple restraining orders.

The officer in charge of the case, Detective Sergeant Clark Graham, said: “William Malcolm was duty bound to protect vulnerable people but instead he abused his position.

“That abuse has had long-term destructive effects on his victims and their families – who have only wanted the best and most compassionate care for their loved ones.

“Malcolm’s disgusting acts, including abusing those who can’t always speak up or defend themselves, have rightly earned him a place behind bars.

“While nothing will ever fully undo the pain and suffering this has caused, I hope this acts as a comfort knowing he has been brought to justice.”

Det Sgt Graham continued: “I want to praise all the witnesses who came forward to help with this investigation.

“It’s clear he was a cruel and abusive nurse and the bravery to come forward against someone like that should be commended.”

New offence of forcing people to hide objects in their bodies

Source: Home Office published on this website Tuesday 3 June 2025 by Jill Powell

A new criminal offence of ‘coerced internal concealment’, to be introduced as an amendment to the landmark Crime and Policing Bill, will crack down on anyone, including gang leaders who force people to hide items inside their bodies to avoid detection.    

This practice, also known by the street names ‘plugging’, ‘stuffing’ and ‘banking’, is typically used by organised gangs to transport items like drugs, money and SIM cards from one location to another.   

It relies on forcing or deceiving children and vulnerable adults into ingesting or hiding items inside their bodily cavities and is often linked to county lines drug running.   

Internal concealment is an extremely dangerous practice. It can be fatal if drug packages break open inside the body and can cause significant physical and psychological harm to those forced to do it.   

Where senior gang figures are found to have coerced other individuals to ingest or carry specified items inside their bodies, they will face up to 10 years behind bars.   

Jess Phillips, Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, said:

“There is something truly evil about the gang leaders who degrade young girls, young boys and vulnerable adults in this way, forcing them to put their lives at risk.   This new offence will go alongside other measures in our landmark Crime and Policing Bill to turn the tables on the gang leaders and hold them to account for exploiting children and vulnerable adults.   

“As part of our Plan for Change, this government will give police and prosecutors the powers they need to dismantle these drug gangs entirely and secure convictions that reflect the severity of these crimes. To deliver the government’s mission to halve knife crime in the next decade and deliver safer streets, it is crucial to tackle the drug gangs that run county lines through violence and exploitation.”   

That is why the government has committed to investing £42 million into the County Lines Programme this year, to break down the organised crime groups behind this trade.

The latest statistics from the programme show that since July 2024, law enforcement activity resulted in over 1,200-line closures and 2,000 arrests – including the arrest and subsequent charging of over 800 violent offenders controlling the lines.  

There were also more than 2,100 safeguarding referrals for children and vulnerable people.      

The County Lines Programme also provides specialist support for children and young people to escape the drugs trade.    

Over 320 children and young people received dedicated specialist support during this period, which can include one-to-one casework for young people and their families to help prevent exploitation or support their safe exit.

The criminalisation of ‘coerced internal concealment’ will ensure that victims are properly recognised and receive the support they need.   

It also sends a clear message to offenders that the punishment for this crime will match the impact of the harm they have caused.    

The new offence will join a package of other measures in the government’s Crime and Policing Bill designed to protect children and vulnerable adults, including a specific offence of child criminal exploitation aimed at the ringleaders behind county lines operations.       

Working together to safeguard children 2023 updated 8 May 2025

Source: Department for Education published on this website Monday 12 May 2025 by Jill Powell

 The updated version has an illustrated guide, an animated video and details of a toolkit for children, young people and their families, and practitioners working with them.

This is so practitioners can share and use with children, young people and their families:

  • Working together to safeguard children: an illustrated guide for children, young people and their families
  • the short accompanying animated video
  • a toolkit of resources

All children should be helped, supported and protected when things are difficult. The illustrated guide, animated video and toolkit explain to children, young people and their families how individuals, organisations and agencies work together to help, support and protect them.

These materials were co-produced with children and young people, along with the Department for Education’s Social Care Advisory Board, facilitated by the National Children’s Bureau.

Practitioners who would like to use the toolkit can email workingtogether.statutoryguidance@education.gov.uk to request this.