Connor Morris set up a bogus market research business for high street fashion companies to sexually assault seven female models (Picture: BNPS)
A predator who set up a bogus market research business for high street fashion companies in order to sexually assault seven female models has been jailed.
Connor Morris, 26, created the company with fake employees and even hired premises at great financial expense to carry out the elaborate and disgusting scam.
He lured his victims to the hired work space by advertising on Facebook and Snapchat for models aged 18-30, and paid them £150 each to take part in ‘research’ for companies like Asos, Boohoo, and Love Honey.
His victims could then earn an extra £50 if they agreed to a ‘muscle analysis,’ which was an ‘elaborate confidence trick’ cooked up by Morris to allow him to grope their breasts and bottoms.
Morris, who worked as a leisure centre lifeguard, also set up hidden cameras in the Branksome Consulting Centre in Poole, Dorset, to film the women in a state of undress.
Two of the victims came out of the meeting and agreed the experience had been ‘really weird’ and decided to go to the police, who later seized a number of devices and images of 32 young women from his home.
Police tracked down seven different victims who had been ‘violated’ by Morris, who initially denied taking any sexual gratification out of the process and insisted he was simply conducting market research.
Morris, 26, created the company with fake employees and even hired premises at great financial expense to carry out the elaborate and disgusting scam (Picture: BNPS)
But he eventually admitted nine charges of sexual assault and three counts of voyeurism between June and July 2020 and was jailed for three-and-a-half years at Bournemouth Crown Court- a sentence described as ‘absolutely disgusting’ by one of his victims.
Charles Gabb, prosecuting, ‘The defendant used pseudonyms, creating a fake business with fake members of staff and said he was working in partnership with companies like Asos, Pretty Little Things, Boohoo, Oh Polly and Love Honey.
It was a truly elaborate set up of deception. He said he was carrying out research and offering them money to have various body measurements taken.
‘Emails were sent from a Sophie Parnell at Connor Morris Group Ltd – she was fiction, she never existed. It was all done to give the air of credibility.
‘He touched the breasts and/or bottoms, often skin-to-skin and observed them topless.
‘These companies have all been contacted and it is all rubbish, quite simply nothing like that ever existed, the whole thing was a complete scam.’
Speaking of one victim, Mr Gabb said: ‘She said she felt he had dragged the process out to keep her topless for longer. She felt uncomfortable throughout but trusted the defendant and thought of him as a close friend.’
Victims said they were ‘mortified’ by Morris’ light sentencing and plan to appeal the verdict (Picture: BNPS)
Reading from victim impact statements, the young women described feeling sick and disgusted, suffering trust issues and even PTSD, with some undergoing counselling.
One said: ‘It mortifies me to think the level of thought he has gone through to carry out this assault on me.’
Lauren Hebditch, defending, said Morris led a ‘fairly isolated life’, only had a small circle of friends, had been bullied at school and had only ever had one relationship.
She said he has been diagnosed as autistic and had taken a number of steps independently to address his offending including sessions with a specialist sexual psychotherapist.
She said: ‘He wholeheartedly accepts his action, he expresses regret, remorse and shame for all his actions. He said he caused a ripple of harm that spread across many different individuals.’
HOW HE TRICKED HIS VICTIMS
While devising the scheme, Morris went to the lengths creating a logo for his made-up company, Connor Morris Group Ltd.
His ‘personal administrator’ called Sophie, who was in fact Morris, sent the victims a long email with detailed instructions about what to expect.
Morris claimed to be carrying out research for companies such as Asos, Boohoo and Love Honey (Picture: SWNS)
Candidates were told the measurements would take 10 minutes and were a combination of movement and strength tests providing ‘an overview of your muscle formation and joint structure’.
Giving a hint of Morris’ sordid intentions, Sophie then stated: ‘Easiest way to describe it is a massage without the massage.’
The participants were then advised that ‘for accuracy purposes’ a few of the measurements would be done in their underwear and two topless.
But then again trying to strike a reassuring tone, Sophie added: ‘Prior to working for this company, I did this contract myself and it is genuinely the easiest money I ever made.’
The participants were asked to provide their top, waist, leg, dress, shoe and bra sizes.
Morris invented a second assistant, Megan Sawtell, and used fake reviews to try and persuade one victim to sign a contract.
Megan, whose job title was given as administrator and LoveHoney lead, offered the would-be participant an extra £80 for naked measurements but asked that she keep this request ‘confidential’.
She explained that there were three contract levels, with the first a 20 question survey about the respondent’s sexual history and preference.
Level two was ‘body movement and type analysis’, and level three involved three additional body measurements and ‘requires no underwear’.
Megan then states that most people choose level three, using invented reviews to suggest it would be a ‘brilliant’ way of ‘pushing your boundaries’.
After the sentencing, one of the victims slammed the judges sentence which they said was ‘too lenient’, and said they would consider appealing the verdict so it could be made more severe.
She said: ‘Connor Morris groomed me and he betrayed my trust.
‘He violated our bodies. He is vile.
‘The sentence is absolutely disgusting and he will be out of jail in less than two years.
‘What kind of message does that send about sexually assaulting multiple women?
‘It almost says that it is ok to do it.
‘To give such a light sentence with the number of victims shows that the justice system needs addressing.
‘We (the victims) are going to appeal the sentence.’
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