Guernsey's 'King Steve' ordered to carry out voluntary work

Tuesday 16 March 2021

A protracted 30-month trial of a self-proclaimed royal in Guernsey has finally ended, with 'King Steve of Everland' sentenced to community service for stubbornly disobeying planning laws.

Steve Ogier (48) was ordered to carry out 120 hours of community service when he appeared before Guernsey's Royal Court yesterday.

Ogier's sentencing was his 21st court appearance since he first went on trial for attempting to develop his land - which he claimed was a sovereign state - without planning permission. 

Planning breaches seldom end up before the island's Royal Court - a point Deputy Bailiff Jessica Roland observed as she closed the book on what has been a lengthy and sometimes surreal sequence of events. 

What is now referred to as 'Everland' is a parcel of agricultural land purchased by Ogier in 2011. That year, he secured planning permission to use two bunkers on site for storage, which was renewed again in 2016. 

Pictured: Steve Ogier has accrued more than £20,000 in court fees to date, but was not hit with a fine during his sentencing.

In January 2018, Ogier sought advice about living on the site, only to be told by planners that a change of use was unlikely to be granted.

On 18 September 2018, the Planning Department was tipped off that a number of trucks had been seen shifting substantial quantities of soil away from the site.

It was these forbidden groundworks, along with the construction of a dry stone wall and the erection of a shed, that brought the 'King of Everland' back down to earth. 

What might have been a cut and dry series of planning breaches took an extraordinary turn, as Ogier declared that he did not need planning permission, because ‘Everland’ was a sovereign state that could not be dictated by Guernsey laws.

Ignoring one compliance letter after another, Ogier maintained his innocence in the face of five counts of planning violations, which he has described as an act of protest against the establishment. 

His claims were dismissed by the Courts at his trial in January, with nine Jurats delivering a guilty verdict. 

The only decision facing the Jurats on Monday was how to sentence Ogier. Following a lengthy deliberation, Deputy Bailiff Jessica Roland delivered the verdict - 120 hours of community service. 

There may yet be another turn in this already winding tale, as Ogier still has to respond to the compliance letters by returning his land to its undeveloped state.

Having denied the jurisdiction of Guernsey's Courts for so long, Mrs Roland warned him that continued evasion of planning laws could lead to a more severe sentence.

"You have said the actions required from you have not been undertaken as required by the compliance orders," she said in her closing.

"While you do not take these actions, you are at risk of coming back to court again."