Guilty of gross indecency with a 14-year-old

Saturday 07 July 2018

A man has been found guilty of two counts of gross indecency with a 14-year-old boy, with an additional three counts of indecent assault against him.

Jamie McLaren, who was 38 at the time of the crimes, faced trial before Guernsey's Royal Court all week, before being found guilty on all counts yesterday.

He was accused of kissing the 14-year-old on two separate occasions, and also performing oral sex on him.

The incidents all occurred in 2016, when the two were in "a loving, consensual relationship," but the defendant claimed he thought the teenager was 17, though his real age was 14. Similarly, the teenager originally though McLaren was 28, rather than 38.

The pair's relationship began on Facebook after McLaren intervened when the victim was being bullied. The two began talking, and the victim said he had fallen in love with the man within weeks. 

They later met in person and went for a car drive. Following that, they met the next day, and then three more times following an interlude.

McLaren admitted kissing the victim, but as he claimed he thought he was 17, he said this was not strictly against the law. He also denied any oral sex or mutual masturbation ever took place.

But the Jurats of the Royal Court found him guilty of all five charges, meaning a majority of them did not believe McLaren was unaware the boy was 14, and they  believed oral sex had taken place.

While the court heard the victim had his Facebook profile set to three years older than his age, which would have made him 17, when giving evidence, he said he had told McLaren that he was 14 before they ever met.

McLaren claimed he only found out he was 14 on the fifth and final time they met, during a discussion about smoking. Upon finding out, he claimed he told the victim to "block" him and that they couldn't see each other anymore. Both parties agreed the feelings between them continued after this point.

Guernsey Police became involved when a school friend of the victim "put two and two together" and reported the matter to a teacher. It was then passed to the teenager's parents, then police. Initially, police gave stern words to the victim that they should end the relationship, and also met McLaren for interviews. Initially, the relationship continued online - but later, the victim gave police an interview and charges were brought. They were first heard in January of 2017.

McLaren is now expected to be sentenced on 17 August, and is being remanded in custody until then.