REDHILL FATHER SPEAKS OUT AFTER LENIENT SENTENCE FOR PAEDOPHILE PHILIP HENDRA

In October 2009, a father expressed his outrage after Philip Hendra, a paedophile from Redhill, received a relatively lenient sentence despite being described as a "serious risk to children." Hendra, 59, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for a night-time sexual assault on a 14-year-old boy.

The incident occurred on December 22 of the previous year, when the boy was staying overnight at Hendra's home. The court heard that the boy woke up to find Hendra performing oral sex on him. The victim, visibly distressed, later went to a neighbour’s house crying, and he immediately disclosed what had happened.

Police investigation revealed that Hendra kept a hidden surveillance camera above his bathroom shower rail and possessed "extreme" indecent images of teenage boys on his computer. Although no charges stemmed directly from these images, they were noted during the investigation. Additionally, a camera used by Hendra to film himself in the bathroom was found.

Hendra was arrested and pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child. A probation report described him as posing a "high risk" of causing serious harm to children. Despite national guidelines recommending a prison sentence between three and seven years, Judge Christopher Critchlow imposed an 18-month term, citing Hendra’s early guilty plea and lack of prior criminal history.

After the sentencing, the victim’s father expressed his discontent, stating: "I am outraged at the leniency of the sentence, especially in view of what was said in the probation report and the fact that the guidelines stated that the recommended sentence should be one of three to seven years." He also pointed out that Hendra could serve only half of his sentence, meaning he could be free within nine months.

During the court hearing, prosecutor Jill Beale detailed the assault, emphasizing that the boy was sleeping in the same bed as Hendra and was found naked when the assault happened. She also noted that the assault left the boy distressed, leading him to seek help from a neighbour.

Defence lawyer Keith Goodhand highlighted Hendra’s previous good character, stating that he showed true remorse and had cooperated with authorities. He also mentioned that Hendra had resigned from his job, emphasizing the impact on his life.

Judge Critchlow observed that it was unusual for Hendra to have been sharing a bed with a young boy. He noted that a probation officer classified Hendra as posing a high risk of harm to children, especially young males, and commented on the interest in teenage males shown by the images on Hendra's computer.

The judge ordered that Hendra's computer and camera be destroyed. He also mandated that Hendra register as a sex offender for ten years and imposed a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, which prohibits him from unsupervised contact with children.