'Elaine would never have hurt her kids'

A FORMER colleague of strangled hospital worker Elaine Le Sauvage claimed yesterday that she loved her children. It followed shocking revelations in the Royal Court two days ago that her killer son, Wayne, grew up hating her, having suffered horrific childhood abuse.

'I knew her and would not have said that she would have ever hurt her children,' said Coleen Le Cloarec.

The 47-year-old dental receptionist worked at the Castel Hospital with Mrs Le Sauvage when they were both maids. She was shocked to learn about the allegations.

'We had kids the same age and would often talk about our children. There was never any suggestion she had hurt her children, but you don't know what happens between walls. To hear it all now is quite a shock.'

Elaine Le Sauvage, who worked in the PEH sterile services department, died of asphyxia after her 32-year-old son strangled her on 5 January last year at the family home in Rue Cauchez, St Martin's.

Le Sauvage, 32, who suffered from a drug-induced psychotic illness, rolled her body into a bloodstained rug and dumped her near the hospital before burning her belongings.

Yesterday, bouquets of flowers adorned the gateway where she was found.

But Mrs Le Cloarec did not believe, even with the defence mitigation about child abuse, that the seven-year prison sentence imposed on him for manslaughter was enough of a penalty.

'I have read what happened and I think 20 to 25 years would have been appropriate for taking her life. She will not see her grandchildren grow up.'

A spokesperson from the Health and Social Services Department said: 'Elaine Le Sauvage was a popular and well-known member of staff whose sudden and tragic death is still mourned. She is still sadly missed by all her friends and colleagues within Health and Social Services and is particularly in their thoughts at this time.'

Other concerns have been raised about the sentence.

'I'm a little worried that it does not send out a message that conveys how serious killing another human is,' said Deputy Rhoderick Matthews.

He has always believed that a panel should be set up formed of the judiciary, law enforcement, the public and deputies to consider sentencing in general, not just major cases.

'They could review all sentencing to see how consistent and appropriate it is.'

Deputy Matthews was not prepared to say whether Le Sauvage's sentence was on the low side.

'If it had been two, three or four years, I would have said it was not very much, but it's in the range one might consider appropriate.

'Killing and violence are very serious offences.'

Deputy Jenny Tasker said: 'Unless one is actually in court all the time to hear what has happened and what has led up to these things, it's very difficult to comment objectively on the sentence.

'A subjective view is that anybody who kills should be put away for life. However, I don't believe that is necessarily always the case.

'We have to be more humane in our views of people's behaviour, without ever condoning it.'