Wayne David Le Cocq, 64, of Collings Road, St Peter Port, was found guilty of five offences at trial.
Crown Advocate Chris Dunford told the court how the defendant was arrested as part of a wider investigation in August 2024 after the videos of the open-air sex were found on devices belonging to Peter Leigh, who was subsequently convicted and jailed for similar offending.
This led to forensic analysis being carried out on two devices belonging to the defendant.
Three extreme pornographic videos were discovered which showed humans engaging in sex with animals. The videos were in a cache that required specialist knowledge or equipment to access.
Le Cocq denied two charges of possession on the basis that he did not know how the videos had got there, was unaware of them, and had never viewed them. He denied having any sexual interest in animals but the court heard evidence that contradicted this.
Le Cocq accepted performing sex acts with Leigh’s girlfriend in four public places – on a cliff path near Petit Bot, in the car park and on cliffs at Moulin Huet, and at the Pulias Pond at St Sampson’s. He denied a further offence in the Moulin Huet car park.
But in court he denied five charges of behaving in an indecent manner in public places on the basis that nobody could have seen what they were doing. He said he was horrified to find out later that Leigh had been filming without his knowledge and had demanded that he delete the videos.
Defending, Advocate Alan Merrien said the videos had only come to light as part of another investigation and there had been no complaint made.
Le Cocq accepted monitoring a website for swingers for almost 10 years because he said he was curious to find out if local people were involved. Crown Advocate Chris Dunford argued that the defendant had been actively searching for like-minded people.
Le Cocq, a former prison officer, said he was not proud of what he had done but said he was depressed at the time, having suffered a family bereavement, and had done it ‘to escape from reality’. The offences spanned a period of three years.
Judge Marc Davies said he was satisfied that under the wording of the law the defendant had behaved in an indecent manner on all five occasions. He found him not guilty on the two counts of possessing extreme pornography.
Le Cocq, who had no previous convictions, will be sentenced in October once a probation report has been prepared, and he was bailed unconditionally in the interim.