AN 84-year-old former Major in the Scots Guards has been sent to prison for nine years for serious sexual offences against two children.
Michael Campbell was sentenced on Friday by the Superior Number of the Royal Court, which only sits for the most severe cases.
Campbell, who was unanimously found guilty by a jury at the end of a trial in July, sexually assaulted one child multiple times in the early 1980s and the second child between 2021 and 2023.
The court heard that the two periods of offending – separated by nearly 40 years – had had a deep psychological impact on both victims.
Crown Advocate Lauren Hallam told the court that Campbell had taken advantage of the victims’ “innocence and vulnerability” and the assaults had had a “serious and enduring impact” on their mental health.
Defending, Advocate Paul Nicholls said that his client had come to Jersey in the early 1970s after retiring from the army and had run Emeraude Ferries for 17 years. He said Campbell respected the decision of the jury but maintained that he was innocent.
Advocate Nicholls said: “The Crown argues that the fact my client has shown no remorse is an aggravating factor but that should not be counted against him. He cannot accept responsibility in circumstances where he maintains his innocence.”
Advocate Nicholls stressed that the offences had been mainly touching and had not been penetrative.
Passing sentence, Commissioner Andrew Oldland said that the case was both serious and unusual, due to the time between the two periods of offending. He added that the Court had concluded that grooming had taken place and he stressed the profound impact that Campbell’s offending had had on his victims.
“In reality, there is very little mitigation in your case,” the judge told him.
In addition to his custodial sentence, Campbell was placed on the sex offenders’ register for 15 years.
Commissioner Oldland was sitting with Jurats Elizabeth Dulake, David Le Heuzé, Michael Entwistle, Michael Powell and Donald Gardener.
