Le Tocq admitted a total of 15 charges of making, sending and possessing more than 2,400 indecent images of children.
Policy & Resources president Lindsay de Sausmarez, the island’s most senior politician, spoke openly about the case for the first time last night.
‘Details that have emerged of these heinous crimes have shocked me and many others to the core,’ she said.
‘What compounds that shock is the profound betrayal of the trust that so many had placed in him, not least through his position as an elected representative of the people of Guernsey.
‘It’s that betrayal of people’s trust that I have struggled most with personally. It’s destabilising and corrosive because it can undermine our confidence in what we understand to be true more generally.’
Le Tocq, 61, who was wearing a blue sweatshirt, bowed his head and lowered his voice in the Royal Court as he admitted all the charges he faced in front of a full public gallery.
He faces seven counts of sending an indecent message through the telecoms network, using X and Instagram accounts.
He also admitted the following charges:
Making a pseudo indecent image of a child, an image created with the use of computer technology, a minimum of 230 images rated Category A, the most serious type of image; and making an indecent image of a child, a minimum of 13 Category A images.
Making a pseudo indecent image of a child, a minimum of 486 images rated Category B; and making an indecent image of a child, a minimum of 10 Category B images.
Making a pseudo indecent image of a child, a minimum of 1,731 images rated Category C; and making an indecent image of a child, a minimum of 10 Category C images.
Distributing a pseudo indecent image of a child, one image of Category C.
Possession of 218 extreme pornographic images.
The earliest of the offences dates back to 2016.
Sentencing was deferred until 26 January for a probation report to be prepared. No application was made for bail.
Notification requirements were imposed on Le Tocq with immediate effect.
‘What gives me hope is that we are a strong and close community’
‘His guilty plea has deepened my heartbreak and empathy for his victims,’ said Deputy de Sausmarez.
‘My thoughts remain very much with them and all others affected by his actions, including his family, church community, colleagues and constituents, many of whom will be understandably angry, and some of whose lives will have been turned upside down.
‘What gives me hope is that we are a strong and close community. We shouldn’t underestimate the impact that these crimes will have had on many islanders, but I’m confident people will support those affected with sensitivity,’ she said.
Le Tocq was arrested in July and remanded in custody when he was charged in August. He resigned as a member of P&R in September, shortly before the senior committee was due to lead a States debate on removing him.
However, he remains a States member, and he will continue to be paid until he resigns, has not fulfilled the role for 12 months or is sentenced to imprisonment for a period of at least one year.
Le Tocq was first elected as a deputy in the Castel in 2000, having failed in a previous bid. He stood down in 2008 but returned to politics in 2012 and has been a deputy ever since. He served two years as the island’s chief minister between 2014 and 2016.
He became senior pastor of the Church on the Rock in 1989. The church has said that he has not been involved in its activities since he was charged.
Le Tocq failed in his duties, says NSPCC
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children has criticised Jonathan Le Tocq following his guilty pleas to 15 sexual offences in court yesterday.
It said that as a politician, Le Tocq had a duty to safeguard and protect the vulnerable, but instead involved himself in criminal behaviour in which harm was caused to children.
‘Viewing and sharing child sexual abuse material fuels a horrific industry, which can be devastating for victims, with further trauma caused by the knowledge that images have been shared online,’ said a spokesman.
‘This case also highlights the need for tech companies to protect children and prevent offenders like Le Tocq from accessing and sharing child sexual abuse content on their platforms.’
