Between 25% and 30% of the sexual offences reported to the police in the past five years happened a long time ago, the States police have said, with around a quarter of these going to court.

The police shared the figure as they encouraged people to come forward to talk about their abuse, regardless of when it happened.

Often, people who survived sexual abuse as a child blame themselves for it, they said, adding that “it is crucial to remember that it is never the victim/survivor’s fault, and they are not responsible for the actions of others.

“The perpetrator is the one accountable for their actions.”

Non-recent or historical sexual abuse includes cases where the victim was a child or young adult as well as cases where the abuse happened a long time ago.

DC Caroline Foord, who investigates many of these cases, said the way evidence is gathered is different for historic cases than recent ones, but that she and her team take each case “on its own merit” and aim to investigate them thoroughly.

She said: “For people who have experienced abuse during their lives, some may need time – perhaps years – before deciding to make a report to the Police. 

“It’s important for people to know that whatever their hesitation about speaking to the Police, we are here to listen and to help as far as possible, including where concerns may extend to others who may still be at risk of harm. 

“Whether or not a case results in a prosecution, knowing that we are here is the first step for victims to realise that they have somewhere to go.”

In the past five years, the police recorded 218 counts of non-recent sexual abuse in Jersey, they said.

Det Supt Alison Fossey said: “If you do decide to, you can speak to the police about what happened to you. You can report abuse to the police no matter how long ago it happened. You can start by calling 612612 and briefly explaining what you’re calling about.

“They’ll make sure you’re put through to the right team who can support you or you can call one of the specialist services who can support you to report to the police.”

Recent cases

A number of cases involving non-recent sexual offending have gone through the courts.

This week, David Nigel Pearce was sentenced to nine-and-a-half years’ imprisonment for two rapes and two assaults, which happened some years ago.

In September 2024, John Larose was sentenced in the Magistrate’s Court to a one-year binding over order, a one-year sex offender notification order, and a 10-year restraining order for abuse that happened in the early 1990s.

In 2023, Paul Kelly was jailed for 20 years for committing “amongst the most egregious sexual offences to come before the Royal Court”. The victim was praised for coming forward to the police and reporting the abuse.