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The former owner of steak-and-sushi restaurant Shinzo in Jersey has been found guilty of raping and sexually assaulting a woman, and attacking another.
Gavin Neil Roberts (44) was on trial in the Royal Court this week, charged with two counts of common assault against one woman, and one count of grave and criminal assault, one count of rape, and two counts of sexual penetration without consent against another woman.
He had already pleaded guilty to two more counts of grave and criminal assault against the second woman shortly before the jury in the trial was selected.
During the course of a trial that lasted more than a week, the jury heard from the two women as well as from the second woman's best friend, and from officer-in-charge DC Carla Garnier.
The court heard at the opening of the trial last week that the two alleged victims’ reports to the police were made independently of one another.
Outlining the case, the prosecution said Roberts would often lash out while drunk, and that the pressures of running a restaurant business fuelled his drinking.
Roberts also took to the stand. He denied that any of the attacks described had happened, except those he had already admitted.
However, after just over three-and-a-half hours of deliberation, a jury found Roberts unanimously guilty on all counts today.
Roberts has been remanded in custody until sentencing.
The Bailiff, Timothy Le Cocq, was presiding. Crown Advocate Matthew Maletroit appeared for the prosecution and Advocate David Steenson for the defence.
Following the sentencing, Jersey Domestic and Sexual Abuse Support, a government-run support agency for victims of sexual assault, said: "We would like to commend the courage of the victim-survivors in these cases, who gave evidence over several days and demonstrated extreme resilience and determination in very difficult circumstances.
"The verdict sends a clear message that victims voices will be heard and that abuse such as this will not be tolerated by society or the courts."
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