Pensioner jailed for photoshopping child's face onto indecent images

Friday 25 June 2021

A 74-year-old man, who superimposed a local child’s face onto indecent images that he had downloaded from the internet, has been jailed for two years and four months.

Guernsey-born John Henry De Bourgonniere lifted photos from the social media profile of the child’s mother.

De Bourgonniere then cropped out the child’s face and photoshopped it on indecent images of children and adult pornographic websites to give the appearance that it was the young girl who had been photographed.

He also superimposed the mother’s face onto adult pornography, and put his own face into photographs with the mother, giving the impression that they were a couple.

In total, the pensioner downloaded more than 3,800 indecent images of children, which included two in the most serious category. He doctored more than 600 of them, which included four in the most serious band. 

Forensic investigation of seized devices also revealed two covert ‘up-skirting’ videos as well as numerous still pictures and videos of local women, filmed secretly, focusing on their backsides and crotches.

The offences took place between September 2017 and July 2020, which the Royal Court, when sentencing De Bourgonniere on Friday, said demonstrated a “sustained sexual interest in children”.

Defending, Advocate Sarah Dale said that her client had had a deeply traumatic childhood which may have contributed to his behaviour. He had also admitted his guilt at an early stage and had provided passwords to investigating officers.

She added that De Bourgonniere was remorseful and keen to address his problems through counselling in prison.

The Court heard that the mother had been unaware of De Bourgonniere’s activities and had been “shocked and disturbed” when told of the photos by police officers after his arrest.

As well as his prison sentence, De Bourgonniere was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for seven years and subject to a 10-year restraining order.

Deputy Bailiff Robert MacRae was sitting with Jurats Collette Crill and Dr Graham Hughes.

After sentencing, a police spokesperson said: “These are not victimless crimes: these images cause real harm to real children and the viewing and making of indecent images like these creates demand and so leads to further abuse. 

“Any form of abuse against children will not be tolerated and the States of Jersey Police are committed to target those who offend in this way.”