Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq has pleaded guilty to numerous charges including making and distributing indecent images of children.
The former Chief Minister appeared in court this afternoon to face 15 charges relating to making and distributing indecent images of children, the possession of “extreme pornography”, and breaking telecoms laws by using a variety of X accounts in other people’s names.
The public gallery of Guernsey’s Royal Court was almost full for today’s hearing, with members of Le Tocq’s family and the island’s media in attendance along with other people.
Le Tocq appeared in person to present his pleas. He spoke only to confirm his guilt.
The politician and pastor has now pleaded guilty to the following:
Seven counts of sending by means of telecoms network an indecent message
Making a pseudo-indecent image of a child – Minimum of 230 images, Category A
Making an indecent image of a child – Minimum of 13 images, Category A
Making a pseudo-indecent image of a child – Minimum of 486 images, Category B
Making an indecent image of a child – Minimum of 10 images, Category B
Making a pseudo-indecent image of a child – Minimum of 1731 images, Category C
Making an indecent image of a child – Minimum of 10 images, Category C
Distributing a pseudo-indecent image of a child – One image, Category C
Possession of extreme pornographic images – 218 images
The disgraced Deputy will spend Christmas behind bars while waiting to find out his long term fate.
Following his admission of guilt, Judge Catherine Fooks remanded him back into custody until his sentencing hearing on the 26 January.
By that time he will have spent 189 days behind bars since he was first charged in August.
The island’s former Chief Minister was first arrested in July on suspicion of telecommunication offences. He was initially released on police bail while those investigations continued.
Le Tocq was first remanded into custody after being charged with numerous telecommunication and sexual offences in August and has been re-remanded into custody at each court appearance he has made since then.
In June he was elected back into the States of Guernsey – with 8,002 people voting for him.
He lost the election to be Policy and Resources President, but was made a member of the senior committee and given the responsibility of being Guernsey’s External Relations Minister again.
More to follow…