24 Hours in Police Custody: 'Depraved' Peterborough sexual predator to feature on Channel 4 show
The investigation into a sexual predator who raped a woman and secretly filmed others in his Peterborough home will feature on the new series of 24 Hours in Police Custody.
Craig France was jailed for 10 years and seven months earlier this year after he pleaded guilty to rape, sexual assault, three counts of voyeurism and exposure at court.
The court was told how France (33) of Hammonds Drive, Fengate, Peterborough targeted young women at nightclubs and plied them with alcohol before taking them to his property where he had set up hidden cameras.
"One of the worst cases I have dealt with in 23 years of being a police officer.”
The Channel 4 show will look at how France was brought to justice by Cambridgeshire detectives – after one of his victims bravely came forward to report what he had done.
One detective who worked on the investigation said: “It is one of the worst cases I have dealt with in 23 years of being a police officer.”
The two part special will be broadcast on Sunday, July 6 and Monday, July 7.
Cambridgeshire Police said that France recorded himself carrying out sexual acts on some of his victims while they were unconscious or sleeping.
During the investigation, police identified four victims, but it’s believed there could be more.
France’s offending came to light after a woman reported he had raped her and she was now aware he had filmed it.
The victim had been given a shot of “Sambuca” by France while they were in his garden and the next thing she knew, she woke up in his bed with no recollection of what had happened, but knew something untoward had taken place.
Officers trawled through more than 6,000 disturbing images and videos of several unidentified women, who were secretly filmed at his home.
Officers also found a clip where France was seen naked in daylight at a roadside in the Broxbourne area of Hertfordshire.
‘A risk to society’
When he was sentenced, Judge Mr Justice Mark Bishop labelled France as ‘a risk to society’ and added: “You have an attraction to risky behaviour and I judge that in this case a sense of sexual entitlement, coupled with taking risks and poor self-esteem, is a toxic risk.”
DC Em Scates, who investigated, said: “It’s clear France is a depraved and calculating sexual predator and a danger to women. It is one of the worst cases I have dealt with in 23 years of being a police officer.
DCI Helen Tebbit said that due to the amount of footage and the nature of France’s offending, it was possible there were further victims yet to be identified.
“I would encourage anyone who thinks they might’ve been a victim of a sexual offence to contact us on 101 or via web chat on the force website. We take all reports of sexual offences very seriously.
“We have a dedicated team of specially trained officers ready to investigate allegations promptly, fully and professionally, and a network of partnership agencies and support services to offer assistance and support.”