Man found guilty of rape 21 years after offence

Simon Paul De La Haye, 53, was found unanimously guilty of one count of rape

A man has been found guilty of a rape he committed 21 years ago, following a three day trial in Jersey.

Simon Paul De La Haye, 53, was found unanimously guilty of one count of rape and was remanded in custody. He will be sentenced on 17 December.

The jury at Jersey's Royal Court heard the offence took place in November 2002 and that the complainant came forward to report it to police in May 2023. In December of the same year, De La Haye was arrested and interviewed.

He was charged in September last year and maintained a not guilty plea throughout.

Det Sgt Alasdair Castle said the police would "continue to listen" and bring "offenders to justice".

He said: "We recognise the immense courage of the victim coming forward to report a serious sexual offence after so many years.

"We will continue to ensure victims are supported through the criminal justice process and urge other victims of sexual crimes to seek help or to report what happened."

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