Man jailed for decade of sex abuse against child

Richard Louis Romeril was found guilty in June of committing sexual offences over a 10-year period

A Jersey man has been jailed for 16 years and six months for sexually abusing a child and possessing indecent images of children.

Richard Louis Romeril, 49, was found guilty at Jersey's Royal Court in June of 10 sexual offences, including abusing a girl over a 10-year period, starting when she was four.

He also pleaded guilty to another four counts relating to making indecent and prohibited images of children.

Defence advocate Mike Preston said Romeril had suffered from depression and was addicted to pornography, and was trying to get treatment for those issues.

When the police originally questioned him, he denied abusing the girl, or having indecent images, the court heard.

Crown advocate Emma Hollywood described his crimes as a prolonged campaign of sexual assault.

The court also heard he had thousands of images and videos of child sexual abuse, some of them of the most serious nature.

'Extraordinary bravery'

Det Con Sian Dupre from States of Jersey Police said after sentencing: "The sentence handed to Richard Romeril today reflects the gravity of his crimes and their profound impact.

"We want to recognise the extraordinary bravery of the survivor, who courageously came forward to make the complaint.

"Their remarkable strength and resilience have been pivotal in bringing Romeril to justice.

"It is our sincere hope that this sentence will provide them with a sense of justice and contribute to their healing journey."