THE police have praised a vulnerable young Islander who showed ‘incredible courage and strength’ to come forward to report a rape.
The teenager called for help and gave a detailed statement to the police after she was subjected to a serious sexual assault in Snow Hill car park.
Her attacker – 64-year-old Joseph Raymond Lloyd – was yesterday convicted of rape and sexual penetration without consent, following a trial in the Royal Court.
His sentencing date was due to be set today.
Giving evidence this week, Lloyd admitted seeing the girl as he left the Dog & Sausage pub in Halkett Street at 11.20pm on a night last year.
CCTV showed him following close behind his victim, kissing her in the street, entering Snow Hill car park with her and leading her behind a parked van, where he committed the assault.
Lloyd tried to pin the blame on his victim, claiming that the teenager initiated the sexual contact.
But he could not explain why the victim had sent text messages appealing for help at the exact time that they were behind the van and had dialled 999 soon afterwards, nor how her stockings had been torn.
The jurors also saw body-worn camera footage from the States police officers who attended, in which the teenager is seen sobbing and struggling to speak. Lloyd was arrested at the scene.
Following Lloyd’s conviction, Detective Constable Carla Garnier said the ‘vulnerable’ victim was ‘completely traumatised by these events’ and had shown an ‘incredible level of courage and strength’.
She added: ‘She has been supported by specially trained officers, Independent Sexual Violence Advisers (ISVAs) and the Intermediary Service throughout the investigation.
‘The States of Jersey Police continue to work with key partners and advocacy services such as JDAS, the SARC at Dewberry House, JAAR and the Jersey Women’s Refuge, to encourage victims of sexual crime to report such incidents.
‘We are committed to investigating and prosecuting all sexual offenders and we want to assure victims that there are a number of agencies who are in a position to offer support and guidance through all stages of the criminal justice process.’
