A detailed plan is being finalised so a man deemed to be at a “high risk” of committing sexual offences against women and girls can be released from Les Oberlands.
The Royal Court has previously determined that William King sexually assaulted a woman after giving her a lift in his car in 2023.
The now-45-year-old was initially held on remand at Les Nicolles Prison, but he was moved to the island’s mental health facility in January 2025 after he was found unfit to stand trial or serve time in prison.
Having undergone some treatment at Les Oberlands, King applied to the Ordinary Court to be released back into the community.
That has now been approved and it could happen within a fortnight.
Crevichon Ward
Described as having learning difficulties and autism, King has been held on Crevichon Ward during his time at Les Oberlands.
That is the in-patient facility for the Adult Mental Health Service.
One of the ward’s stated goals is to “minimise the length of hospital admission by facilitating early discharge with active involvement in discharge planning”.
During his time on the ward, King has completed a sex offenders’ treatment programme.
At a hearing in May 2026, the Ordinary Court was told this is normally a 50 week course, delivered in hour long sessions, but King had completed it in just 19 sessions with some lasting up to three hours.
It was said that he had engaged with the course, although he found it “frustrating” because he doesn’t accept his autism diagnosis, or claims that he is a sex offender.
At the court hearing on Monday this week, the Ordinary Court again heard that King is not engaging with any further treatment and he wished to move to the next phase of his treatment programme, which involves “interacting with the community”.
Reading from a letter written to the court by a third party, King’s Advocate told the court there are concerns that living with “the ill patients of Crevichon Ward” may “destroy him” and that his “immediate exit would be a life saver”.
Representing King, Advocate Peter Ferbrache also said that he was “festering” on the ward, and he is “bored… in an atmosphere where he can’t be treated anymore”.
High risk of reoffending
The decision about whether to release King into the community rested on whether his risk of re-offending can be managed outside of the Oberlands.
There was no dispute that King is at risk of reoffending, with Senior Probation Officer Gemma Lockwood stating that she believes he is at a “high risk” of reoffending while a medical professional who has treated him at Les Oberlands was said to have described him in meetings as being a “medium risk”.
Ms Lockwood and Dr Dominic Bishop, the Clinical Director for Mental Health and Adult Disability for the Bailiwick, were questioned at this week’s court hearing and the one in May, having both been involved in King’s care and treatment so far.
Their view that he remains at a “high” or “medium” risk of reoffending was acknowledged by Advocate Ferbrache, who told the court that “there can never be no risk”.
“The only way there can be no risks if for Mr King to stay on the Crevichon Ward for the rest of his life,” he said.
While arguing the case for King to be released, Advocate Ferbrache said this was “his chance to show the court and community” that he can be re-integrated.
Crown Advocate Liam Roffey went further to say that “it is agreed that he does pose a risk”.
“It’s agreed that it’s not a low risk case.”
“The nature of the harm Mr King poses is sexual,” he added.
This might include sexual touching, sexual assault, and rape, said Advocate Roffey.
He said the key question the court had to consider was “can the risk be managed in the community?” and “can the public be protected?”.
SOPO breaches
King is already subject to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO).
Giving evidence to the Ordinary Court this week, both Ms Lockwood and Dr Bishop spoke about a number of breaches that have been reported to them, some committed as recently as last month.
The court has previously heard that in February 2025, just weeks after he was moved to Crevichon Ward, King was alleged to have accessed the internet using a television.
In August 2025 he was alleged to have again accessed the internet, this time using a ward iPad.
In April this year King told staff at the Oberlands that when he is released he will use his mother’s phone to access social media to look up a person whose identity is protected by reporting restrictions.
Then in July this year a letter was found in King’s bedroom.
It was addressed to a female and in the letter he had suggested that they go for a drive together when he’s released.
That would be a breach of any SOPO imposed because one condition will be that King can’t be alone in a car with any female other than his mother.
Dr Bishop confirmed the letter “was neither sent nor received” and that it was not sexual in content.
He also confirmed that King has been abusive to staff due to his frustration at being held on Crevichon ward.
Another incident was referenced where King was “racist and abusive” to a member of staff.
Dr Bishop said if there were any further breaches once they started to release King into the community then the discharge plan would be stopped.
This would happen if King “seemed overwhelmed or distressed” or if he showed any inappropriate behaviour.
He and Ms Lockwood both said that it has been made clear to King that if he reoffends or breaches his SOPO once he has been released into the community then he would be arrested again.
Advocate Ferbrache also said that King knows he will be arrested if he breaches his SOPO.
The decision
During the previous court hearing in May, Judge Catherine Fooks said it was agreed that King can’t stay on Crevichon ward indefinitely, but more work was needed on the plan to reintegrate him into the community.
This week, Dr Bishop explained how the plan for King’s reintegration into the community has been redrafted since then.
It was now proposed that King would spend increasing amounts of time in the community over a four week period – rather than the six weeks previously suggested.
He would start off being allowed two hours of ‘freedom’ per day, increasing to four then six, and finally eight hours a day in the community.
He would then be allowed overnight stays at a court-approved address before being allowed to spend a week there.
If this plan worked then he would be released to live at the court-approved address permanently, with ongoing support and monitoring from the staff at the Oberlands, the Probation Service, and Guernsey Police.
Advocate Ferbrache said that if the court approved the application, then King’s reintegration into the community could start on 12 August.
That date was suggested because the court-approved address where he will later live is available from then.
Advocate Ferbrache said King has on-island support to help him reintegrate, including from the probation service and ongoing support from staff at Les Oberlands.
He said that the reintegration will be under review for 18 months to two years, even if it all goes well.
The three Jurats presiding approved the ‘discharge plan’ and Judge Catherine Fooks made clear that is conditional on a clearly defined SOPO that gives King “a list of directions”, so he knows where he can and can’t go and what he should and shouldn’t be doing.
“This is not to say that the Jurats are not concerned by the risk Mr King presents,” she said.
“The Jurats are concerned.
“High risk is the opinion of a very experienced probation officer, and medium risk is the opinion of an expert doctor.
“The decision is that this can be managed and the public protected.”
A 1961 law was cited by Judge Fooks, that gives “people like Mr King the power to challenge detention”.
King will remain detained until the final details of his SOPO are agreed.
When that has happened his phased discharge plan will start. This is expected to be within weeks.
