November 2016 Former Norfolk police worker jailed for drugging & sexually abusing children A former Norfolk police worker drugged three young girls so he could sexually assault them and film it on his phone, and sexually abused three other victims while they were asleep. Philip Sturdy, 39, formerly of Bowthorpe, Norwich, gave three of his victims drink or food laced with the sedative Ketamine and other drugs after he had lured them to his home so they fell into a deep sleep or became unconscious so he could then go on to abuse them, Norwich Crown Court heard. Lindsay Cox, prosecuting, said one of the victim’s said she had felt “odd” and had difficulty walking after unknowingly being slipped the drugs by Sturdy and analysis of a victim’s hair sample showed traces of Ketamine and other tranquillizing drugs, which Sturdy had administered. When the offences came to light, in May, this year, police arrested Sturdy, who police confirmed was employed as a member of staff by Norfolk Constabulary for 18 years, until a month before his arrest. Mr Cox said that indecent images of the victims were found on Sturdy’s phone and featured girls aged from eight to 12 years old and an indecent image of a teenage male. Mr Cox said: “They appear to be unconscious or asleep with their clothing removed or pulled down.” He said that some of the victims were unaware they had been filmed by Sturdy until police traced them through the images on his phone. In an impact statement the children’s parents expressed their concerns about one day having to tell their child about the abuse they suffered at the hands of Sturdy. Sturdy admitted sex assaults on six victims and three counts of administering a substance with intent, and taking indecent images and was given a 10 year jail sentence with an eight year extended licence on his release. He was also placed on the sex offender’s register for life. Jailing him, Judge Stephen Holt said that Sturdy posed a danger to children and said: “You put substances into their food or drink which rendered them in due course unconscious.” He said the statements from the victim’s parents showed the harm and real pain he had caused. “Some of these children are still not aware of what you subjected them to.” Michael Clare, for Sturdy, said that by pleading guilty he had spared the victims coming to court. “He does not want me to make excuses. He accepts full responsibility.”