WATCH: Pair who raped teen at St. Aubin's Fort jailed

Wednesday 26 February 2020

Two men who teamed up to rape a teenage girl multiple times decades ago at St. Aubin’s Fort have been sentenced to a total of 14 years for the attack, which their victim compared to “being broken in two”.

Ian Lee Pryor and Anthony John Quant (both 51) today appeared in the Royal Court to be sentenced for the attack, which their victim said left her feeling a mixture of anger and “brokenness, shock, disbelief".

Charged with two counts of rape, Pryor was sentenced to eight years whilst his co-defendant Quant – who is already a convicted sex offender and serving time in HM La Moye – was sentenced to six years for one count of rape and one count of indecent assault.

Video: Detective Sergeant Rob Manners praised the victim in a statement following Quant and Pryor's sentencing.

They were convicted after a trial at the end of last year, but both men still maintain their innocence. 

Crown Advocate Emma Hollywood, prosecuting, summarised what happened to the victim – referred to as Miss X – who was a teenager at the time of the offence, at the hands of Quant and Pryor.

The Court was told that the offences took place in one of the classrooms at the Fort with the defendants. They passed Miss X a “see-through bottle with a red cap”, and she fell in and out of consciousness after drinking from it.

When she woke up on the classroom floor, Pryor was raping her.

Quoting from Miss X’s account of the incident, the prosecutor read: “I felt like I was being broken in two, I was a virgin, it hurt, I couldn’t do anything. I was getting out of my body, I imagined that I was escaping my body.” 

Crown Advocate Hollywood explained that “Miss X tried to say no, but, frightened and overpowered, no words came out.”

After Pryor stopped, the Court heard that “Quant then took over”. The men then simultaneously assaulted the teenager, with Pryor raping her again and Quant forcing himself into her mouth.

During this part of the ordeal, the victim said that she “felt like [she] was going to die”.

The Crown Advocate also told the Court that, after a specialist assessment, Miss X was found to be suffering from “severe psychological harm” associated with the attack.

Pictured: The defendants were convicted after a Royal Court trial.

Considering the facts of this case and the lasting effects on the victim, the Crown invited the Court to impose an eight-year prison sentence for Pryor and a five-year prison sentence for Quant. 

It was emphasised that the prosecution had asked for a lower sentence for Quant due to the fact that he is already serving a lengthy prison sentence for unrelated sexual offences committed around the same time as this incident. Although his offences against Miss X took place on a separate occasion, the similar time frame meant that the Court had to consider his crimes as if they were being sentenced together.

This is to ensure that any defendant doesn’t end up getting disproportionately longer sentences when their crimes are sentenced separately rather than together. 

As the defendants were in their 20’s at the time of the offences, they were also sentenced with a discount for their youth.

Representing Pryor, Advocate Luke Sette focused on the “positive good character” of his client, emphasising that the last decades have “effectively passed without incident for Mr Pryor”.

Pictured: The offences took place at St. Aubin's Fort decades ago.

The defence lawyer pointed to his stable employment, family life and his “charitable work”. 

Advocate Sette told the Court that Pryor had worked to support “local disabled and disadvantaged children”, as well as taking part in “Christmas charity motorcycle rides dressed as Santa” and fundraising for ‘Holidays for Heroes’.

Having said this, the Advocate invited the Court to make his client’s sentence a year shorter to take account of these points in his favour.

Advocate Adam Harrison, representing Quant, raised his client’s “very difficult childhood” and “cognitive limitations” as part of his defence. The defence lawyer emphasised Quant’s “excellent work record” both in and out of prison. 

Pictured: Quant is currently a serving prisoner at La Moye.

As this sentence would essentially be ‘attached’ to Quant’s existing 12-year term, Advocate Harrison claimed that adding another five years would be “excessive”. He instead invited the Court to impose three years' imprisonment.

The case was heard by Jurats Gareth Hughes, Steven Austin-Vautier, Rozanne Thomas, Pamela Pitman and Robert Christensen who, sitting as the ‘Superior Number’, only assemble to hear the most serious of cases. 

Handing down the Court’s decision, Royal Court Commissioner Julian Clyde-Smith – who was presiding over the hearing – said: "The victim was subject to the most serious and sustained sex assaults carried out by the defendants in combination."

He also informed Quant that, had he not been a current serving prisoner, he would have been sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment.

However, in order to ensure the offence was sentenced "proportionately", he said that "for this reason and this reason alone" Quant would receive a six-year sentence instead.

The Court's full reasons for passing the sentence they did will be included in a written judgment issued at another date.

The Police have since praised Miss X for coming forwards with her story.

Issuing a statement on the steps of the Royal Court after the sentencing hearing, Detective Sergeant Rob Manners said: “The offences, which took place decades ago, have devastated the life of the victim. She has had to live with the trauma of that night for many years and still carries an unimaginable burden. 

“It has taken enormous bravery for her to come forward and be heard. Support will be available to her for as long as it is required.”

The Force are also reminding islanders that they have a dedicated ‘Historic Abuse Team’ who investigate any allegations of historic abuse, regardless of when they took place. 

DS Manners continued: “These cases are extremely complex and difficult to investigate but the convictions of Quant and Pryor demonstrate what is possible and we are committed to continuing this work. Those perpetrators who are yet to be caught should never rest easy, no matter how much time has passed.”