Teen sentenced to three years’ youth detention for sex assaults

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named because of his age, had denied both charges, but was found guilty at trial.

Judge Catherine Fooks said fortunately such crimes were rare in Guernsey, but this was serious.

And while the defendants were close in age, the victim was also legally a child.

The incident happened on the Rousse headland in the early hours of a morning in May last year.

The defendant was 16 at the time and the female 17.

She consented to other acts that night, but repeatedly made it clear that she did not consent to the matters in the charges.

During the sentencing hearing, Crown Advocate Chris Dunford said the victim had suffered mental health difficulties in the wake of the incident and was now cautious of men.

The defendant had no previous convictions.

Defence advocate Paul Lockwood said his client was a hard-working, pro-social young man, who until this incident had a bright future.

He asked the court to note there was no degradation, violence or threats of violence, and the defendant had not pre-planned it.

He highlighted that the sexual contact had been initially consensual and his client still maintained his innocence.

Judge Fooks said the victim had the right to consent or not consent to each specific act, yet the defendant had persisted in the face of resistance.

She said it was clear the victim had been traumatised by what had happened.

‘She will never be the same person again and neither will you,’ she said.

‘You are responsible for both those outcomes.’

The defendant was sentenced to three years’ youth detention for the rape and two years for the sexual assault by penetration, concurrent.

He will also be subject to a two-year extended sentence licence.

The conditions of this include him not having contact with girls under 18 without permission.

A seven-year notification period was also ordered.

In the afternoon after the sentencing, Guernsey Court of Appeal sat with Deputy Bailiff Jessica Roland, who was sitting as judge alone.

An appeal against conviction was provisionally set for December. An application for bail was refused.