Community 'betrayed' by jailed ex-chief minister

The president of Guernsey's senior government committee has spoken of her sense of "betrayal" after former chief minister Jonathan Le Tocq was jailed for nine years for creating more than 2,400 indecent images of children.

Le Tocq, 61, was jailed at Guernsey's Royal Court on Monday after admitting 15 offences, including making indecent images of children, pseudo indecent images of children and distribution of an indecent image of children.

President of Policy and Resources Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez said her thoughts were "overwhelmingly" with the victims.

"I found everything about this case shocking. It compounds the sense of betrayal and all that trust people put in him," she said.

She said she hoped now the case was over, his victims would be "able to move forward", with support.

De Sausmarez said Guernsey's community had responded "with care, empathy and understanding for those impacted".

She added she was struck by the resilience and dignity of the victims.

Le Tocq was ordained as a minister in 1989, the year he began serving as a senior pastor, and worked with the Rock Community Church since 1983.

The church said its thoughts were, "first and foremost with the victims".

It said its community was "profoundly shocked and horrified by these offences, which represent a devastating betrayal of trust".

It added Le Tocq's jail sentence might "bring a measure of closure" but it could not "undo the harm caused", adding the church community was continuing to process what had happened.

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Guernsey Police thanked the victims "for their strength and resilience" throughout the investigation and legal process.

It said officers had liaised closely with them during the investigation and said it was "undoubtedly shocking" to learn how the victims were targeted.

The force said the "abhorrent offences" over nine years "included impersonating and targeting islanders and other people" who Le Tocq knew.

"They all took place while he held significant positions of trust in our community," a force spokesperson said.

They added the force had worked with Victim and Witness Support Guernsey, whose work could not "be overstated".

In Demeber, Le Tocq pleaded guilty to the following offences:

• Seven counts of sending by means of telecoms network an indecent message
• Making a pseudo indecent image of a child - minimum of 230 x Category A
• Making an indecent image of a child - minimum of 13 x Category A
• Making a pseudo indecent image of a child - minimum of 1731 x Category C
• Making an indecent image of a child - minimum of 10 x Category C
• Distributing a pseudo indecent image of a child - 1 x Category C
• Possession of extreme pornographic images – 218
• Making a pseudo indecent image of a child - minimum of 486 x Category B
• Making an indecent image of a child - minimum of 10 x Category B

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