A 36-year-old man has been convicted of sexually abusing a child under the age of 12 following a Royal Court trial.
Aaron Roy Forsythe Gardner was found guilty of two counts of sexual penetration of a child under 12 and one count of sexual touching of a child under 12 after a trial which began earlier this week.
He has been remanded in custody pending sentencing.
The offences came to light following an investigation by the States of Jersey Police, which began after Gardner’s arrest in June 2025.
He was later charged with three offences involving a child under 12 in December 2025 and appeared before the Magistrate’s Court before being indicted to the Royal Court on 28 May this year.
Following the verdict, Detective Carla Garnier described the case as a “deeply distressing investigation” involving serious offences committed against a young child.
“These offences represent a profound betrayal which has had a lasting impact on the victim and their family,” the detective said.
Police also paid tribute to the victim for the courage shown during the investigation and trial process.
“We would like to commend the victim for the immense courage shown throughout the investigation and court proceedings. The bravery and resilience demonstrated by such a young person has been extraordinary,” Detective Garnier said.
The officer also thanked the child’s family for their support throughout the investigation and said police hoped the verdict would provide “some measure of reassurance” and mark “an important step towards recovery” for those affected.
The States of Jersey Police said support is available through local safeguarding and victim support services for anyone affected by issues raised in the case.