Runaway sex offender Richard Romeril sentenced to 16 and a half years

Richard Louis Romeril, who was at the centre of a manhunt last September, has been sentenced to 16 and a half years in prison for sexually abusing a child for more than a decade.

The 49-year-old was found guilty in June at the Royal Court of subjecting his young victim to almost weekly sexual abuse over an 11 year period. 

During the trial, the jury was shown multiple pairs of underwear belonging to his victim, that were kept hidden under his mattress. 

Romeril was convicted of 14 offences including attempted rape, sexual touching and indecent assault. 

He was arrested in September 2023, following an island-wide manhunt, sparked when he failed to attend the police station to be charged.

Drones, dogs, police officers, Fire and Rescue officers, search and rescue teams as well as a French search helicopter were deployed to find him.

Romeril was found 'safe and well' by a patrolling officer, in St Peter, two days after his disappearance. 

 Romeril's disappearance in September 2023 sparked a police appeal and island-wide search

Throughout the trial, Romeril denied sexually abusing his victim, but admitted making indecent images of children.

This followed what was described as a 'large' number of pictures of this nature being found on his seized devices. 

Detective Constable Sian Dupre read this statement outside the Royal Court: 

"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 today.

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

"The role of the support agencies involved: including Dewsbury House and the independent and domestic and sexual violence advisors has been essential in providing the necessary care and assistance to the survivor. 

"We commend their unwavering support and dedication throughout this process. Additionally we extend our gratitude to the Law Officers Department for their diligent work in prosecuting this case.

"Their commitment to justice has been crucial in securing this outcome. 

"We are committed to supporting survivors of abuse and ensuring their perpetrators are accountable for their actions."