Sex attacker exposed as serial predator when police found videos of his crimes on his phone

A sex attacker was exposed as a serial predator when police found videos of his crimes on his mobile phone.

Alan Chalmers was questioned by detectives in August 2021 when a man he took back to his home after a night out in Newcastle reported he had been attacked after he passed out drunk.

Newcastle Crown Court heard Chalmers phone was seized and it contained a chilling image of the victim while he was asleep, as well as footage of offences against two other men.

The court heard one of the victims had been attacked as he slept, in similar circumstances, and had no idea what had happened to him until police came to his door.

The other was also oblivious to the fact Chalmers had covertly filmed him during private moments while he used a bathroom, several years earlier.

Chalmers, 51, of Redemarsh, Leam Lane, Gateshead, admitted sexual assault charges against two of the men and voyeurism in relation to the third and has now been locked up for seven years.

He has a previous conviction from 2007, when he was convicted of voyeurism in relation to watching men using public urinals.

He must now sign the sex offenders register for life.

Proscutor Daniel Cordey told the court the first victim was sexually assaulted twice when he went back to Chalmers' home after having so much to drink that his night out was a "blur".

The court heard Chalmers had offered the victim his bed and said he would sleep on the sofa but the man woke up twice being sexually assaulted and left in the early hours.

The victim said in an impact statement the ordeal has had a huge impact on his life and he needs counselling.

Mr Cordey said after the victim went to the police Chalmers was questioned and his phone was examined.

The handset contained an image of the victim asleep and also a video, which was blank.

The court heard the second man was tracked down by the police after explicit images of him were also found on Chalmers' phone, in similar circumstances.

Mr Cordey said: "He was completely unaware of anything sexual happening or any photographs or videos being taken."

The victim said in a statement, that he read in court himself, that being shown the images by the police "will stay with me forever" and that he feels humiliated and degraded.

He added: "This has changed me for good, I don't think I will ever recover."

The man videoed using the bathroom was also traced by the police.

Mr Cordey said: "He stated he had no idea this was happening."

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The victim said in his statement he was "embarrassed and horrified" and fears the images could end up on the internet for others to see, although prosecutors confirmed there was no evidence of that.

Jane Foley, defending, said Chalmers' offending painted a "gruesome" picture and added: "This defendant has quite clearly had a pre-occupation with matters of a sexual nature."

Miss Foley said Chalmers has struggled with his sexuality, has lost his job because of the offences, has health problems and is at an "exceptionally low ebb".