Disgraced former Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq said he wants to become “a productive and useful citizen again” – in a self-serving statement shared with the media immediately after he was sent to prison for nine years.

In a handwritten letter that had been shared with the court and then distributed to the media by a member of his defence team, the depraved former-church leader said that as a “believer in Jesus Christ” he had “grieved my God most of all”.

His statement focuses on the time he has spent reflecting on what he has done, and how he now accepts he needs help, and that he wants to “ensure this never happens again”.

Le Tocq was sentenced to nine years in prison this week for a series of horrific crimes, including creating more than 2,400 indecent images of children.

Many images were of local women and children he knows and these included explicit pictures generated by AI and “crudely photoshopped” images, according to courtroom testimony.

His crimes were committed over a period of at least nine years with the first recorded instance happening in November 2016. He continued offending until July 2025 when he was arrested.

‘Grateful’

In his handwritten letter the former Chief Minister said he was “grateful for being confronted with my sin and my crimes, for stopping me from making matters potentially worse”.

Le Tocq blamed work-related stress for his actions, and said he regretted not responding to “warning signs” earlier, especially a heart attack in December 2020.

However, his heart attack occurred at least four years after he set up an Instagram account in November 2016 which he used to commit many of his earliest identified crimes.

Le Tocq wrote extensively about his own feelings since his arrest in the statement shared with the court and media, using the word “I” a total of 35 times in fewer than two pages.

He said he accepted that “some may never be able to forgive me for this”.

Le Tocq ended the letter by asking for the “space and grace” for him to rebuild his “broken world”.

Le Tocq’s statement in full

Personal Statement – 26 January 2026

I make this statement freely and openly after due consideration of the many wrongs I have done and those whom I have offended and hurt. I have pleaded guilty to all the charges and sought to cooperate from the outset with Law Enforcement. As a result, I present this, not as an attempt to reduce or explain away the enormity of my offences, but rather to seek to express my response to the situation in which I find myself and my feelings with regard to my wrongdoing.

I have had much time since being taken into custody to reflect on my crimes and the effects these have had on others. I have been in a state of grief and deep regret which I have never known before. I realise that I have hurt and offended not only the victims concerned but also my friends, family and colleagues in the many spheres of my life.

Moreover, as a believer in Jesus Christ, I have grieved my God most of all through [my] vile actions which are totally opposite to the values and standards which I have espoused for the majority of my life. I have wept and grieved over this for weeks and wish to express my sincere and deepest sorrow, apologising to all those concerned.

I carry profound remorse for what I have done; I particularly regret that I did not respond appropriately when there were warning signs, especially at the time of my heart attack in December 2020. I realise now, with bitter regret that I should have acknowledged the stress I felt under and reached out at that time for help; I should not have thrown myself back into a pressurised work environment and an over-busy lifestyle so soon or so quickly.

Nevertheless I can honestly say that I am grateful for being confronted with my sin and my crimes, for stopping me from making matters potentially worse, continuing in self deception. And though my world has been broken as a result, I am grateful for the support and help I am now receiving both professionally and from family and friends, to help rebuild and piece together my broken world, making the changes necessary for a better, healthier future.

I fully realise that I have let down the Guernsey community, the many who have supported and voted for me over the years; I have dishonoured the principles and values which I promoted and stood for. I am ashamed of this and take full responsibility. I accept that some may never be able to forgive me for this. I am persuaded now, with the help and advice of others, that the best way to repent and to ensure this never happens again, is to focus on the support and counsel I am able to access to rebuild my broken world and in some way find restoration towards becoming a productive and useful citizen again. I only ask, for the sake of my family especially, that we are given the space and grace to do so.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Le Tocq