'Seeing ex-offenders sleep rough is so upsetting'

Mary Hervé from the Caring for Ex-Offenders charity said there was "no magic wand we can wave" to resolve the ongoing problem

A charity boss has said the worst part of her job is seeing some ex-offenders coming out of prison and having to live rough with just a sleeping bag in all weathers.

Mary Hervé, co-ordinator of the Caring for Ex-Offenders charity in Guernsey, told BBC Radio Guernsey it was worrying to have to leave some newly-released ex-offenders without any accommodation.

"I'm in my bed and it's chucking it down with rain and it's blowing a hoolie and I'm nice and cosy... and that worries me," she said.

Ms Hervé said a combination of factors including the stigma faced by ex-offenders when trying to secure accommodation and the cost and availability of accommodation on the island were all factors at play.

She said it was a long-term problem, with rent high and some landlords not wanting to accommodate ex-offenders, and "there's no magic wand that we can wave".

"Accommodation is really key to helping people not to reoffend because if you come out of prison and you've got nowhere to stay, you're going to be sofa surfing, you're going to be sleeping rough," she said.

"The temptation to reoffend and get a nice warm bed and food in our belly, it is quite great for some people, so that's where we kind of kick in.

"As a community, I think we have to be aware that if we are not supporting people coming out of prison then offending is going to be greater," she added.

"We're really fortunate that our offending rate is lower than the UK's - it's quite good - but it can be better and if people come out of prison without accommodation that is one of the big triggers into reoffending."

She said that "with the accommodation crisis which we have in Guernsey it's very difficult for the ordinary person without the history of being in prison to find accommodation".

Les Nicolles saw its highest prison population since the pandemic, according to the 2024 annual report

Ms Hervé said the charity, founded around 2013, worked closely with prison and probation services and housing staff and built up relationships with landlords.

"We've got a number of landlords that we work very well with who actually want to help people coming out of prison and will, on our referral, take people that are coming out of prison if they've got space available," she added.

She said the charity's stock of tents, for those who have somewhere to put them, and particularly sleeping bags, was running low and they may have to appeal for more.

Finding accommodation for ex-offenders was highlighted as a continuing issue at Les Nicolles in the 2024 annual report by prison governor John De Carteret.

The report stated: "One of the biggest barriers we face to successful rehabilitation of offenders is the evident lack of suitable accommodation on [the] island.

"We find the housing issue has become even more prevalent during 2024 and due to the current climate, our client group are not a population generally prioritised by accommodation providers."