An occupational health technician has been jailed for sexually assaulting nine men he duped into believing were receiving routine hernia tests.
Marc Manning, who had previously worked as an ambulance service technician and as a police community support officer, committed his crimes over several weeks in 2018 while employed by a private company.
In that role he was deployed within the north west to conduct work-based health checks on behalf of firms.
Having been assigned to one particular major employer, 36-year-old Manning conducted 205 examinations during that year. These, Carlisle Crown Court heard today, would generally include scrutiny of height, weight, blood pressure and eyesight, involving discussions of any actual medical issues workers may have, and the provision of urine samples.
But in February 2021, a health and safety advisor for the company in question was contacted by a worker who asked what to expect in a forthcoming appointment. He disclosed that during a previous health check — by Manning — he received what was described as a hernia check.
He didn’t give any more detail but mentioned other colleagues had experienced similar hernia assessments.
Another health technician was contacted and stated they were not qualified to carry out such tests and that hernia checks would absolutely not be part of a standard screening.
It later emerged Manning had been dismissed from his occupational therapy job.
“Due to the fact the victims weren’t entirely sure what their health checks should entail, they describe trusting the defendant and presumed what he was doing to them was legitimate and required,” prosecutor Harriet Lavin told the court.
After Manning’s arrest, devices were seized from his home. Two phones were interrogated by police who uncovered a substantial number of videos showing men urinating and getting changed in gym changing rooms. There were least 300 videos filmed in different locations with victims oblivious to his use of a covert recording application.
None showed any of the examinations, many of which occurred in north Cumbria.
“A PC states that in her time as a police officer, she‘s never seen a phone contain such a large amount of voyeuristic material,” said Ms Lavin. “Upon viewing the phone she felt very concerned at not only the quantity but also the efforts the defendant has gone to enable himself to gain such material over a long period of time.”
A summary of the sexual assaults was provided in court with five victims present. One man had said: “I thought ‘well he’s obviously a doctor or a doctor of some sort so yeah that’s fine’.”
Another said: “He was a medical professional and I trusted him.”
Men described feeling violated and humiliated while another told colleagues that Manning was full on and very weird.
Several men reported seeing a mobile phone propped up against items during their respective tests. One spoke of someone saying to him: “Good luck in there.”
In moving victim impact statements, the men spoke of their trust and confidence in health professionals being severely affected, and being apprehensive about upcoming medical appointments.
“He has completely abused his power and position,” said one man. “It is so bad what he has done to us all.”
Another said: “This is something I will carry with me for a very long time.”
Initially in interview, Manning, of Glenmore Crescent, Thornton-Cleveleys, near Blackpool, provided a prepared statement denying the offences. A man without previous convictions, he later admitted nine sexual assaults, and also two offences of voyeurism which spanned a period between June 2018, and January 2021.
Anthony Parkinson, defending, said Manning had written a letter to the court which “candidly outlines his remorse and regret for his offending”, adding: “He has to face the punishment and judgement for what he did.” Jailing Manning for four-and-a-half years, Judge Richard Archer concluded his criminal conduct was planned.
“The extent to which your offending represents a gross breach of trust cannot be over-estimated,” said Judge Archer. “There can be no doubt that all of your offending behaviour was intentional and was committed for your own sexual gratification.”
Manning must sign the sex offenders’ register and follow the strict terms of a prevention order, both indefinitely.
