Judge calls Emily Hunt case ’shocking’ as she sentences the man who secretly filmed Emily during her sleep

Sex offender Christopher Killick was sentenced today to a 30-month community order, a £2,000 fine, and payment of £5,000 in compensation, after pleading guilty last month to illegally filming Emily Hunt naked while she slept. 

Mr Killick’s conviction follows a successful legal challenge brought by Emily last year against the Crown Prosecution Service (“CPS)", who initially denied - and continued to deny for nearly four years - that Mr Killick’s actions were illegal. Emily was represented in that legal challenge by the Centre for Women's Justice. 

Today’s sentencing verdict therefore comes on the back of a five-year, uphill battle by Emily Hunt and CWJ to persuade the CPS to charge Mr Killick with an offence.

The court heard today from Emily herself, and from the prosecution, who described to the judge how Emily awoke on the 10th May 2015 to find Mr Killick in bed with her, with no idea who he was or how she had got there. Later, the judge heard, Emily learned from the Metropolitan Police not only that Mr Killick had had sexual intercourse with her, but also that he had taken a lengthy video of her, naked, on his phone while she was sleeping. 

Reading out a personal statement in court, Emily explained how the incident had ‘ruined her life’, leaving her traumatised. 

In introducing her sentencing remarks, District Judge Louisa Cierciora stated: ‘The facts of this case are shocking.’ She expressed concern for the ‘devastating’ impact of Mr Killick’s behaviour on Emily, and warned Mr Killick that had it not been for his early admission of guilt to the police, she would have imposed a prison sentence.

Given the length of his sentence, Mr Killick has also been put on the Sex Offenders’ Register for a period of five years. 

Reflecting on today’s outcome, Emily stated: 

'I am very pleased with the sentence passed by the court today and the powerful comments made by the judge.  The recognition that this was a serious sexual offence, and the acknowledgement of the devastating impact it has had on my life, is the most important thing to me.

It is appalling that it has taken five years of fighting to get to this point.  I hope that in future no other victim of a sexual offence has to go through what I have experienced.

I want to thank everyone who has supported me up to this point.  This would not have happened without you.’

Her solicitor at the Centre for Women’s Justice, Kate Ellis, added: ‘It is crystal-clear from the judgment today that what Mr Killick did is not only illegal, but is recognised by the courts as dangerous offending. Had Emily not challenged the Crown Prosecution Service on their interpretation of the law, repeatedly, over a period of years, Mr Killick would have escaped any consequences for his actions. I find this extraordinary.

We welcome in particular the District Judge’s recognition today that what Emily has been through is ’shocking’, and that had Mr Killick contested the charges he would undoubtedly be facing imprisonment’.