ROSALIND HAMON FROM JERSEY JAILED FOR OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE IN CHILD SEX ABUSE CASE

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the community in Jersey, Rosalind Ivy Hamon, aged 55, has been sentenced to 15 months in prison after being found guilty of obstructing justice and perjury related to a serious child sexual abuse investigation. The court heard that Hamon, who was a foster carer and a scout leader, deliberately provided false information to the police, thereby hampering their efforts to investigate a paedophile named Lee Albert de Mouilpied.

The incident took place between February 23rd and February 26th, 2010, when Hamon informed de Mouilpied that he was under police investigation for child sexual abuse. Despite being explicitly warned by law enforcement officers not to disclose such information, she chose to pass it on to him. This act of betrayal allowed de Mouilpied to take evasive action, including deleting incriminating images and videos from his computer system. Fortunately, the police were able to recover some of these digital files, which played a crucial role in securing his conviction.

De Mouilpied, a former nurse, was ultimately convicted of sexually assaulting a schoolboy over a period of five years, during which the victim was under 16 years old. The court detailed that the abuse included the filming of a sexual assault while the boy was dressed in his school uniform, with the offences spanning from when the boy was aged 12 to 15. The investigation also uncovered that de Mouilpied possessed 625 indecent images of children, some of which he had downloaded, and that he had engaged in the abuse of the boy himself.

Hamon’s involvement extended beyond mere disclosure. She also admitted to perjury, having lied under oath during de Mouilpied’s subsequent trial. Her false testimony claimed that de Mouilpied had left her house in St Saviour at approximately 11:35 pm on February 25th, 2010. However, further police inquiries disproved her account, revealing that her statement was untruthful. De Mouilpied, who is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence for his crimes, was convicted of multiple offences, including the sexual assault of the boy and possession of indecent images.

The court was told that de Mouilpied’s crimes spanned over three years, during which he exploited the boy, who was between 12 and 15 years old. The Crown advocate, Julian Gollop, emphasized that Hamon’s actions appeared to be premeditated rather than impulsive. He pointed out that her interference obstructed the investigation, which required additional technical efforts and increased costs to the public purse. Such actions also risked jeopardizing the outcome of the case.

Deputy Bailiff William Bailhache, delivering the sentence, acknowledged Hamon’s previously good character but stated that her actions left the court with no choice but to impose a prison term. He emphasized that her interference could have had extremely serious and potentially life-altering consequences for the young victim. The court’s decision underscores the importance of integrity and honesty in the judicial process, especially in cases involving the most vulnerable members of society.