Man found guilty of six counts of indecent assault

Thursday 20 July 2017

A 48-year-old man has been found guilty of a series of indecent assaults on a girl after a jury returned an unanimous guilty verdict against him.

Mark Beaufort Loane, a well-known figure in Jersey's IT industry, had maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings. He has been remanded in custody ahead of sentencing.

The 12 members of the Jury, seven women and five men, retired for nearly four hours before returning their guilty verdict. 

Earlier in the morning, Royal Court Commissioner Julian Clyde-Smith gave his directions to the 12 members of the jury. He told them: "You have to make sure the complainant has given truthful and reliable evidence. You must decide whether the complainant’s recollection of sexual assaults is reliable."

He also asked them to consider each of the "inconsistencies" in the complainant's account, regarding dates and details of the alleged incidents, and said: "You must decide whether it has an influence on the complainant’s evidence as a whole."

Referring to Mr Loane's decision not to give evidence, the Royal Court Commissioner commented: "The law is that the defendant does not have to give evidence, he is entitled to sit back and let the Prosecution prove its case. The fact he has not given evidence does not prove anything, one way or another."

Summing up the evidence, he said Crown Advocate David Steenson, who was prosecuting, had described the complainant's evidence as, "...dignified steadfast and forthright, adding "...he said she was unflinching but made concessions when needed. If you are sure she is telling the truth, you can convict Mr Loane based on her evidence alone."

Mr Loane will be sentenced at a later date, which will be set on 28 July. He also been added to the Sex Offenders' Register.

His advocate Stephen Baker made an application for bail before sentencing, but Royal Court Commissioner Julian Clyde-Smith decided to remand him in custody. He said the offences were "serious" and that a custodial sentence was "inevitable." 

Following the verdict, the NSPCC, a charity that helps children victim of abuse, praised the victim "...for her bravery in speaking out." A spokesperson said: “We hope she is receiving the right support to recover from her ordeal.

"It is absolutely right that people who suffered child sexual abuse, such as the victim in this case, can seek justice and support no matter how much time has passed since their ordeal. We need to ensure that people who have been abused feel confident to come forward, safe in the knowledge that they will be believed and their voices heard."

The NSPCC’s Helpline for adults who require support is available 24 /7 and for free on 0808 800 5000. Help for children and young people is available through Childline on 0800 1111.