'Love affair' with underage teen lands 41-year-old in prison

Saturday 18 August 2018

Indecently assaulting a 14-year-old boy saw a man sentenced to four years in prison yesterday, along with a hefty supervision order and extended sentence license added for his release.

Jamie McLaren, now 41, faced five charges in the Royal Court, two of gross indecency, and three of indecent assault all toward a male child.

He was found guilty of kissing the 14-year-old, mutually masturbating with him and performing oral sex on him over the course of several meetings across a number of days. McLaren claimed the affair ended when he found out the boy was 14, and not 17, but the court still found him to have groomed and manipulated the teen.

After a five day trial at the start of July, McLaren was sentenced yesterday - he was given four years in prison, which will run from when he was first remanded in custody on the 7 September 2017, and also a three year extended sentence license. 

He was also deemed to have a high chance of reoffending, especially in conjunction with his previous convictions, which have seen him sending indecent images of an 18-year-old boy to a 16-year-old girl, and a count of criminal damage surronding another incident with a 15-year-old.

More detail about what McLaren did, how the trial went, and how the matter came to the police can be read here.

Judge Russell Finch said he and the Jurats had concluded McLaren groomed the teenager, although it being an entirely consensual relationship, with the claimant admitting to encouraging McLaren in some circumstances. Judge Finch said that while no consent would have seen a harsher sentence, the seriousness of how McLaren had "manipulated the immature claimant" should not be underestimated. 

"We and the probation report conclude that you groomed the complainant," he said.

"You wrongly see yourself as the victim in this case, and cannot seem to take responsibility for your actions. Underage people need protecting from predatory older people like yourself."

The only discount afforded to McLaren was due to the delay in his trial and sentencing taking place. In total the proceedings have taken 19 months, as McLaren was first arrested in January 2017, and was first taken to prison on remand in September the same year. Judge Finch said the delays were not the defendants fault and therefore a small discount was given to the sentence.

When McLaren is released from prison, he will face an extended sentence of three years. This means he will have to follow a number of strict conditions starting from his release, and if any of those are broken during the three year period, he will be returned to prison.

Those conditions include not leaving the island without permission - which will only be granted in extraneous circumstances - not having contact with anyone under 18, making all electronic devices available to the police and only residing in one fixed address. 

Alongside those conditions, if McLaren breaks the law again during that period, the remainder of the time will be served in prison in addition to any sentence he receives for the new crimes.

The 15 year notification period will also begin upon his release, meaning he will be constantly monitored by police, having to check in with them, provide them with all of his details, and get permission to leave the island.

The incidents all occurred in 2016, when the two were in "a loving, consensual relationship", and while the defendant claimed he thought the teenager was 17 - and therefore pleaded not guilty to all five charges - 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 - during the sentencing, his defence advocate said McLaren maintained his innocence despite being found guilty.

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.