Dressage organiser and trainer David Crockford has been given a suspended prison sentence for voyeurism, after he installed a camera in a bathroom used by a young woman.
Crockford, 61, was sentenced at Crawley Magistrates’ Court on 11 December, having pleaded guilty to one charge. He had hidden the camera in a bathroom at Millstones training and competition yard, West Sussex.
Some of those who were aware of what happened when the “air freshener” camera was found told H&H they wanted it to be made public as David, a former organiser of dressage at Hickstead, is “acting like nothing has happened”.
“Even after it’s been proved,” one said. “It’s disgusting.”
Two of those who knew what happened said the young woman who found the camera was deeply affected.
“It didn’t affect me; I didn’t use the bathroom and wasn’t there, but it did affect those involved and the lack of support for them is wrong,” one told H&H.
“A lot of people have said, ‘That’s the horse world’ but it’s not, and people need to know it happened, it can’t be swept under the carpet. People can’t get away with this sort of thing or it’ll happen again.”
David Crockford was convicted under the Sexual Offences Act, for “voyeurism – install equipment/construct/adapt a structure”. He was given a 10-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and must take part in a rehabilitation activity requirement. He was ordered to pay compensation of £1,250.
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
