He appeared before the Superior Number – a panel of jurats that only assembles for the most serious cases – following a lengthy pursuit by Police over allegations dating back to 2011, which eventually saw him arrested at a London airport last year after an attempt to flee the island.
The Court heard that a high-tech forensic expert found evidence of indecent material having been downloaded and viewed, as well as “highly suggestive search terms” in his internet history, during an investigation of his laptop prompted by a woman’s sexual assault allegations in August 2012.
Pictured: One of Jordan’s fellow inmates contacted the police over conversations Jordan had been having with his wife.
The laptop also contained encryption software, for which Jordan would not provide the password, and programmes permitting him to conceal his identity and peruse the ‘Dark Web’.
Jordan was found to own a number of other fully encrypted devices, but these could not be analysed.
“The inference is that the Defendant was plainly searching for indecent material, downloading it, and then storing it behind sophisticated encryption to avoid detection,” Crown Advocate Emma Hollywood explained.
His lawyer, Advocate Christina Hall, argued, however, that Jordan’s use of this software was “legitimate” as he was a journalist.
Following his arrest, Jordan resigned his job and attempted to leave the island, telling his employer that this was because he had received “written death threats”. He was eventually arrested by Police in Stansted Airport in February 2018 and escorted back to Jersey.
Pictured: Jordan was using encryption software on his computer which his lawyer said was for “legitimate purposes.”
Three years after the first sexual allegation against him, a second victim contacted a UK police force, accusing Jordan of assaulting her between October 2011 and August 2012.
He pleaded not guilty, and a trial date was set for last August. However, he admitted assaulting both victims just days before it was due to start.
Jordan was further found to have conducted a campaign of harassment against both victims following the assaults, targeting them with abuse in online messages. Advocate Hollywood said that both victims were deeply affected by his actions and had suffered post-traumatic stress.
One month ahead of his later cancelled trial, Jordan was held in prison, during which time an inmate overheard him urging his wife to delete material from his ‘cloud’ account relating to a chat group called ‘Women’s True Place’.
The inmate reported his concerns to Police, who were later given similar evidence in a statement provided by another prisoner.
Pictured: Jordan was sentenced to seven years in prison by the Superior Number, a panel that only assembles for the most serious cases.
Defending Jordan, Advocate Hall cited his “stable and protective” marriage of two years as a mitigating factor in his offending. Later referring to his attempt to get his wife to delete material, she described Jordan as “the creator of his downfall.”
Advocate Hall also emphasised that the quantity of indecent material uncovered on his laptop was “a very small number” and that he had not distributed them, and denied that he had preyed on the “vulnerabilities” of those he assaulted, as suggested by the Crown Advocate.
She further noted that he had not committed any sex offences since 2012, and had pledged not to offend in future.
Returning the Court’s sentence, Royal Court Commissioner Julian Clyde-Smith, who was sitting with Jurats Elizabeth Dulake, Kim Avery, Collette Crill, Anthony Olsen and Jerry Ramsden, said that a total sentence of seven years was appropriate.
Pushing for a sentence of six years, she said that “Mr Jordan is very clear that he has changed”, adding that he was “under no illusion that he will start a long journey of counselling”.
Pictured: Jordan was ultimately sentenced to seven years in HM La Moye.
He also issued restraining orders preventing Jordan from contacting either victim for an unlimited period and ordered the destruction of the laptop.
Jordan will appear on the Sex Offenders’ Register for at least 10 years.
Acting Inspector Cathy Davison, head of the Public Protection Unit, praised the women after the sentencing. She said: “These women were exposed to Jordan’s controlling and coercive behaviour over a period of time and have shown immense strength and courage in reporting this abuse.
“This has been a long and complex investigation, with officers bringing Jordan back from the UK to face charges and we hope this sentence today will help the two victims recognise that justice has been given and assist them in moving on with their lives”.