The latest two-parter in Channel 4 true-crime series, 24 Hours in Police Custody, has a particularly harrowing case which looks at a prolific sexual predator.
Craig France, 34, was well-known by locals in Peterborough for being a regular in the town’s pubs and nightclubs, being spotted in Flares and other night venues at the weekends.
However, his hard-partying persona merely covered up his true identity as a serial rapist who secretly filmed numerous encounters with young women who he had lured back to his home and plied with alcohol.
Here’s what happened to France following his arrest.
Who is Craig France?
The first episode of this week’s 24 Hours in Police Custody shows how one caller launched the investigation after claiming she had been raped by France, but had little memory of the attack.
The Cambridgeshire Police went on to arrest France and search his home, where they found 10 digital recording devices.
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While France offered no comment, police went on to find videos of the alleged victim, incapacitated and being dragged by France in and out of the hot tub in his back garden.
As this investigation is ongoing, a second young woman comes forward and claims she has also been sexually assaulted by France.
Having no memory of the incident, the woman, who was 18 at the time of the alleged assault, remembers meeting France while in nightclubs and considering him a “good friend”. However, she also recalls that many times after nights out, groups of them would end up back at his house.
She also remembers at times waking up with pain in her lower stomach, and bleeding with bad cramps. Later, France sent her videos of the pair having sexual contact — which she did not recall.
As police got videos and photos off his numerous devices, detectives found thousands of images and over 4,000 videos containing France.
Officers were then tasked with telling other women identified in the videos that they had been covertly filmed by France.
Craig France now
In March this year, France pleaded guilty to sexual offences against four women, including rape and sexual assault. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) also successfully sought a forfeiture and destruction order for his devices.
France was sentenced to 10 years and seven months in prison.
Speaking about the case, the Crown Prosecution Service’s Andrew Young said: “Craig France is a deplorable predator who targeted young women and established their trust, before ruthlessly exploiting them.
“By filming and photographing the offences, France built up an extensive set of images which were stored in his phone, all kept for his own sexual gratification.
“He, and he alone, is to blame for his disgusting offending.”
Young continued: “Determined to seek justice for the brave women he abused, the CPS worked closely with Cambridgeshire Police to demonstrate the extent of his offending and built a set of charges which gave France little option but to plead guilty to.
“The bravery and resilience shown by his victims during this process has been extraordinary, and we hope they feel justice has been served for them.
“The CPS will continue to work tirelessly to pursue those who commit sexual abuse and hold them accountable for their crimes, including asking the court that any relevant devices and images obtained as part of the offending are forfeited and destroyed.”
Elsewhere, Judge Mr Justice Mark Bishop said France “posed a risk to society”.
What have the police said about Craig France?
Detective Chief Inspector Helen Tebbit and her team feature on 24 Hours in Police Custody, and were the ones that brought France to justice.
In a statement, Tebbit said: “Firstly, I would like to give my heartfelt thanks to the victims, who, despite their ordeals, supported the investigation and bravely shared their stories on 24 Hours in Police Custody.
“This programme will show that sexual predators can cleverly disguise their depraved behaviours — victims may not realise they are being groomed.
“France portrayed himself as everyone’s best friend — caring, fun, and provided what his victims thought was a safe place to party. But in reality, he preyed on young women who had barely entered adulthood for his own sexual gratification.”
She added due to the nature of France’s offending, there may be further victims out there.
“I would encourage anyone who thinks they might’ve been a victim of a sexual offence to contact us on 101 or via web chat on the force website,” she said.
If you or anyone you know has been impacted by the details of this article, visit: Rape Crisis England & Wales, Rape Crisis Scotland, or The Rowan (for Northern Ireland). RASASC provides emotional and practical support for survivors, families and friends. For additional support with mental health, visit Mind.
Kimberley Bond is a Multiplatform Writer for Harper’s Bazaar, focusing on the arts, culture, careers and lifestyle. She previously worked as a Features Writer for Cosmopolitan UK, and has bylines at The Telegraph, The Independent and British Vogue among countless others.
