A ‘dangerous sexual offender’ who assaulted and secretly filmed women at his laser hair removal business has been jailed for 17 years.
Terry James, 53, committed offences against customers at his salon in Bradford where, the court heard, he acted professionally before blindfolding and then filming them.
Bradford Crown Court was told James, of Halifax Road in Dewsbury, admitted 13 charges, including assault by penetration and five sexual assaults. Eight complainants came forward.
He also pleaded guilty to further offences of possessing and distributing indecent images of children, crimes he had previously been convicted of.
The court heard he put on a confident front to customers, luring them in with discounted treatment, before putting goggles and blindfolds on the victims during the hair removal procedures. He then used a secret camera to film and photograph them.
At his sentencing on Friday, it was heard that his victims were worried the images might end up online.
Detective inspector Ian Cottrell called James ‘a vile and dangerous sexual predator who deserves to be behind bars for a very long time’.
In a statement, he added: ‘He put his victims through a horrific ordeal, they trusted him and he abused it in the most depraved way.
‘I hope the victims can get some comfort and justice from the sentence knowing that he will be in prison for 17 years.’
James was also placed on the sex offenders register for life. He will need to serve at least two-thirds of his 17-year sentence before being eligible for parole.
Additionally, he has been placed on licence for an additional three years beyond the sentence.
During the sentencing, the BBC reported that his offences in the salon were committed after he had been given a suspended prison sentence of four months for possessing indecent images of children.
Then in 2020, he was arrested again for having similar material but was released under investigation and went on to offend again.
Judge Sophie McKone said he had ‘no sexual boundaries’.
She told the court: ‘These women trusted you. You led them to believe you were their friend and you betrayed that trust in the most vile way.’
Personal statements were also read out in court, with one victim saying she had needed therapy for flashbacks of the abuse while another said she could no longer trust men.
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