Devon photographer jailed for raping women at bogus casting shoots
Paul Brown used a fake modelling website to "honeytrap" victims and kept a record of his sexual activity in a little black book.
Monday 10 February 2020 16:08, UK
A photographer who set up a fake modelling website to lure women to his studio before raping them has been jailed for 21 years.
Paul Brown would make his victims sign a non-disclosure agreement and kept records of his sexual activity in a little black book and photo album, Devon and Cornwall Police said.
The 41-year-old - who was also known as Paul D Smart - was found guilty of 15 counts of rape relating to six women following a trial at Exeter Crown Court.
He was also convicted of six counts of voyeurism related to five women.
After he was sentenced on Friday, detectives described Brown as "one of the most prolific sex offenders in the history of Devon and Cornwall Police".
The six-week trial heard how Brown used his fake modelling website to "honeytrap" women between 2014 and 2018.
Through the website, he would refer the women back to himself as potential models for pornographic casting shoots - which he would often take part in.
Brown promised the women that the footage he took would be sent to the modelling agency so they could be considered for paid work.
But this was not the case and the sexual acts were solely for his own sexual gratification, police said.
Most of Brown's offending took place at his studio, the force added.
The IT worker had rented business premises in Okehampton, Devon, where he did some work as a photographer - although he is not believed to have any formal training or qualifications.
His set up Model South West as an agency that promoted models across a range of genres; from clothed and lingerie shots to adult and pornographic shots.
The majority of the victims said they had applied to Model South West and were referred to Brown for a photoshoot.
However, the women never went on to receive any work or money for the shoots.
Evidence showed that the agency was actually fictitious and anyone named by Brown as being involved with the company did not exist.
He was arrested in October 2017 after a woman made a complaint against him.
After his documents and digital media were examined, more women were identified and Brown, from Okehampton, was charged with several counts of rape and voyeurism in January 2019.
Detective Inspector Praveen Naidoo said: "Paul Brown was one of the most prolific sex offenders in the history of Devon and Cornwall Police.
"He raped and sexually assaulted women over a period of five years.
"He created a web of deceit to coerce women, many of whom were vulnerable, into allowing him to sexually assault and rape them.
"It wasn't until one brave young woman came forward that police were able to unravel the web that he had created.
"If it were not for the courage of the victims in coming forward and the hard work of the police officers and staff involved, this case could not have happened and this offender would not have faced justice."