A celebrity osteopath once trusted by high-profile clients – including Express columnist Lesley Ann-Jones – has been jailed for more than three years after secretly filming thousands of women without their knowledge. Torben Hersborg, 64, of Tower Hamlets, east London, was described in court as “one of London’s most prolific voyeurs” as he was sentenced in connection with eight counts of voyeurism at Snaresbrook Crown Court.
The Danish national covertly recorded around 2,000 women over a period of more than 12 years. His offences took place in multiple settings — including his osteopathy clinic on Old Street, as well as public spaces such as beaches, footpaths, Tube stations, and even outside women’s homes. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said most of the victims remain unidentified, and many of the images captured women in deeply intimate or vulnerable situations.
Hersborg, understood to be a friend of Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen, has treated well-known figures including tennis player Caroline Wozniacki and actress Anna Friel. He was arrested after a concerned member of the public reported suspicious behaviour in December last year.
Police found him parked outside student accommodation in Islington, sitting in the back seat of his Lexus, wearing black gloves and surrounded by black plastic bags. A telescope and video camera were also discovered in the vehicle.
Following his arrest, detectives uncovered thousands of illicit images and videos on his electronic devices — including clips of women undressing, and two recordings of women engaged in sexual activity.
Ms Jones wrote about her experiences in January, days after Hersberg pleaded three counts of voyeurism at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court in London. In May, he admitted to five more charges.
She described him as someone who initially appeared trustworthy and genuinely skilled—a “man with the magic hands” who brought relief to many, including herself.
However, she added: “Imagine my horror, then, when my phone pinged this week with a message from my daughter, containing a link to a report that Torben had been arrested by police.
“It is obvious that such people hide in plain sight, convincing us of their authority, their brilliance, their trustworthiness. In some cases, making us dependent on them.
“I trusted Torben Hersborg with my very life. But the life he himself was living turns out to have been the darkest double kind.”
She added: “What makes a middle-aged man at the top of his game, with everything to live for, with a loving wife, a loyal family and a global reputation for his ability and achievements, sabotage everything in the name of sexual thrills?
“Had you asked me this last week, I could probably have given you a coherent answer.
“As things stand, and terrified by the thought of what this monster may have done with footage of me, I am lost for words.”
Alex Weichselbaum, of the CPS, said: “Hersborg operated in plain sight for too long and, having targeted thousands of women over 12 years, we believe the scale and significance of his offending makes him one of London’s most prolific voyeurs.
“His meticulously planned acts included setting up secret cameras in his clinic and covertly filming women — both in public and when they thought they were in the privacy of their own homes.
“Hersborg deliberately abused the trust of his unwitting patients by filming them in intimate positions and targeted strangers for his own sexual gratification.”
He added: “Women should be free to live their lives without unwanted intrusion — particularly from sexual offenders like Hersborg who deliberately chose to film or photograph them in their most private or intimate moments.”