Paedophile Tristan Clamp of Ringwood who volunteered for Scouts jailed after covertly filming child in shower and sexually assaulting a woman
A ‘DEVIANT’ paedophile from Ringwood who secretly recorded a young girl in a shower and upskirted hundreds of supermarket customers has been jailed for four-and-a-half years.
Former Scout volunteer Tristan Clamp (33), of Northfield Road, was said to have a “deeply entrenched” sexual interest in children, and was in possession of thousands of indecent images when police visited his home last year.
Southampton Crown Court heard the defendant had carried out seasonal work at a holiday centre and worked in the family business, which included dealing with “vulnerable” clients.
Prosecutor Martin Booth told the court Clamp was “plainly someone deemed to be safe and trustworthy”. He added: “The truth is, he could not have been any further from that.”
Police visited Clamp’s home on 9th April last year acting on information received relating to indecent images of children, the court heard.
Two devices were seized, but Clamp refused to reveal the passcodes to officers.
In interview he declined to comment and was released pending the examination of his devices, which Mr Booth explained was often a long process.
Urgency on examining the devices became apparent, he added, after a search of his home revealed “something more sinister” – a covert recording device.
Officers found 9,593 category A images and videos of children – the most severe – and 6,234 category B.
There were a further 22,034 category C images, all of which were existing images of abuse taken from the internet, Mr Booth explained.
The images involved youngsters aged between three and 11. One video was particularly depraved, he added.
The court heard this was in addition to 95 images and videos Clamp had made of a young girl who was known to him. These had been taken covertly while she was showering over “several” years when she was aged between 11 and 15.
Officers also found a video of Clamp committing a sexual act while his then-partner slept next to him.
Clamp was re-arrested and still gave “no comment” answers in interview.
Mr Booth said further investigations discovered a one-page document described as a “paedophile manual”.
This detailed three age groups of children and suggested sexual activity that could be carried out on the youngsters.
He added: “There were also hundreds of images of what can be described as upskirting. These were taken in supermarkets when stood next to or close to females wearing dresses and skirts using a device attached to his shoe.”
Mr Booth said the unidentified victims – whose underwear could be seen – were aged between seven and 23 approximately.
He said they would not have been aware of the offences committed against them which would “instill a lack of public confidence” due to the “normal” environment in which it had occurred.
When interviewed for a third time, Clamp denied he had a sexual interest in children but admitted recording himself performing a sex act next to the sleeping woman.
He later admitted downloading “a handful” of indecent images of children and said his offending had “escalated” over time.
Addressing the court at the sentencing on Monday, Clamp’s former partner said she had been left “terrified” at the thought of bumping into him after learning of his crimes.
She said: “I didn’t eat, sleep – I barely left the house. The depth of fear and pain I felt are like nothing I have ever felt.
“I still can’t sleep or eat properly, but I paint a smile on my face. It is exhausting.”
She added: “You are the worst person I have ever known and I hope you never get the chance to do this to someone else.
“You will never have my forgiveness Tristan, because you are a monster.”
Another of his victims said in a statement: “You took what was left of my childhood from me.”
They described him as “worse than any villain in a fairytale”.
Clamp previously pleaded guilty to making indecent images of a child, taking indecent images of a child, possessing prohibited images, possessing a paedophile manual, sexual assault and voyeurism.
Defending, Berenice Mulvanny said Clamp had asked her to express his remorse. She added he was also “grateful” to the police for “bringing to an end a terrible time”.
“Nothing can truly express the remorse he feels for the damage and pain he has caused and he sincerely apologises to those he has hurt,” she said.
She added his apology extended to members of the public who had been unknowingly filmed.
“He has clearly taken a positive approach to proceedings, attending counselling sessions and abstaining from alcohol. He does present as clearly motivated to prevent his risk of reoffending.”
She also pointed to the fact that despite his length of offending, it had “never escalated to contact offences” with children.
There was no suggestion of wrongdoing regarding his Scouts involvement, or that his sexual interest in children included males.
Judge Gary Burrell sentenced Clamp to four and a half years in custody, with an extended licence period of three years. He said Clamp must satisfy a parole board he is safe to be released after four and a half years of prison time.
The judge said Clamp was a “deviant and devious” offender who had left his younger victim feeling “defiled”, while his former partner had been left suffering “serious psychological damage” as a result of his offending.
He added the extent and “deep seated depravity” of his offences were “thought out and planned”.
He also said he had “great doubts” as to whether Clamp’s remorse was genuine. He added: “Your letter smacks of self pity and regret, not necessarily remorse.”
