Jersey Unreported Judgments

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URL: http://www.bailii.org/je/cases/UR/2007/2007_019.html
Cite as: [2007] JRC 19, [2007] JRC 019

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[2007]JRC019

ROYAL COURT

(Samedi Division)

26^th January 2007

Before :

Sir Philip Bailhache, Bailiff and Bullen and Newcombe.

The Attorney General

-v-

Ernest George Simmonds

Sentencing by the Inferior Number of the Royal Court, following a guilty plea to:

3 counts of:

Indecent Assault. (Counts 1, 2 and 3).

Age: 63

Plea: Guilty.

Details of Offence:

Indecent assault on three girls aged between 12 and 14 years. Groomed them all by giving them money (upwards of £3,000 in one case) and cigarettes. Took them for rides in his car where the assaults occurred. In respect of each child he was sentenced for a single instance of stroking their legs above the knee and over clothing. Accepted sending them text messages of a sexual nature and inviting one of them to have sex with him in return for £100.

Details of Mitigation:

At the lowest end of scale of seriousness. Guilty pleas. Eventual acknowledgement to Probation Officer of sexual attraction to children and his need to address that perversion.

Previous Convictions:

None.

Conclusions:

Count 1:	2 years' Probation Order.
Count 2:	2 years' Probation Order.
Count 3:	2 years' Probation Order.

Total 2 years' Probation Order.

In the light of the acknowledgement to his Probation Officer and availability of Sexual Offenders Course, 2 years' probation on each Count concurrent with a condition that he attend any Sexual Offender Course directed by the Probation Service.

Sentence and Observations of Court:

Conclusions granted.

J. C. Gollop. Esq., Crown Advocate.

Advocate D Hopwood for the Defendant.

JUDGMENT

THE BAILIFF:

1. As you have heard the Crown Advocate say, the usual punishment for men who commit acts of indecency with children is prison. Even if these girls were not entirely blameless, you did corrupt them by giving them money in exchange for sexual gratification. We accept that these offences are at the lowest end of the scale and much more importantly, that you have acknowledged to yourself and to others that you have done wrong, that your behaviour was unacceptable, and that you are prepared to accept the help that has been offered to you,

2. You are fortunate that you still have the support of your family and that they are prepared to help you too. We accept that before all this happened you were a man of good character, and that you are now prepared to work with the Probation service, and your family, to put your life together again.

3. On that basis we are going to grant the conclusions of the Crown Advocate and you will be placed on probation for a period of 2 years, subject to the usual conditions that you live and work as directed by the Probation Officer, and in addition, that you attend and complete any sex offending programme which you may be directed to attend.

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