NICHOLAS FINIGAN SENTENCED IN GUERNSEY FOR CHILD ABUSE AND ONLINE PREDATION

In a recent court hearing held in Guernsey, Nicholas Finigan, a 45-year-old electrician from St Peter Port, was sentenced to a total of nine and a half years in prison for heinous crimes involving the abuse of children and online predatory behavior. The Royal Court judge, Russell Finch, delivered a stern condemnation of Finigan, describing his actions as both 'callous' and 'wicked,' emphasizing the severity of his offenses and the impact on his victims.

Finigan's criminal history includes indecent assault and possession of indecent images of children, offenses for which he pleaded guilty back in 2003. Despite this, he sought to evade accountability, attempting to 'weasel his way out' of previous convictions, according to the probation report presented during sentencing. The report painted a disturbing picture of a man lacking insight and remorse, raising concerns about his ongoing risk to children.

During the court proceedings, Judge Finch highlighted that Finigan had sought to dismiss the recent guilty verdict as a 'miscarriage of justice,' a stance that further underscored his continued denial and dangerousness. The judge pointed out that, because of this attitude, Finigan remains a significant threat to the safety and well-being of children in Guernsey.

These criminal acts date back to approximately 15 years ago, when Finigan indecently assaulted two young children. The court heard that the victims were subjected to trauma that robbed them of their right to a normal childhood. The judge expressed that justice had been a slow but steady process, and that the sentence reflected the gravity of his crimes.

In a related case from September 2003, Finigan was sentenced to six months in prison for attempting to solicit sex from a 15-year-old girl. The girl’s mother criticized the leniency of that sentence, especially considering Finigan’s deceptive online behavior. She explained that Finigan pretended to be a woman when communicating with her daughter via the Internet, which she believed should have resulted in a harsher punishment.

The mother issued a warning to other parents, emphasizing the importance of monitoring their children's online interactions. She advised against sharing personal information or arranging meetings with online contacts, warning that appearances can be deceptive and dangerous.

Finigan, who was 33 at the time and living in St Peter Port, was also sentenced to three months for indecently assaulting the girl and an additional three months for distributing indecent photographs. He was fined £3,000 for possessing such images. Court documents revealed that he had sent wedding photos of an unknown woman to the teenager, falsely claiming they were of himself. The girl had initially met Finigan through an AOL chat room, where he had pretended to be a woman, and they exchanged humorous text messages.

The court heard that Finigan knew her identity and location. One distressing incident involved the girl receiving a threatening message while walking along the Bridge in Guernsey, where she was told, 'I can see you and I’m watching you.' When she looked around, she saw no one matching the online profile. Later, a man in a car approached her, apologized for his suspicious behavior, and explained he was wary of trusting people in Guernsey, which led him to pretend to be a woman.

The girl was persuaded to get into his car, and they went for a drive before he attempted to initiate sexual activity. She managed to escape, but did not immediately report the incident. Subsequently, Finigan continued to contact her via text messages, asking if she wanted sex and expressing interest in older men. Her mother recounted that her daughter was deeply affected by these events, experiencing significant stress and anxiety.

The case came to light when police discovered a photograph of the girl on Finigan’s computer, prompting a child protection investigation. The mother expressed concern about the potential for vigilante actions against paedophiles in Guernsey if harsher sentences are not enforced. She also voiced her belief that her daughter’s case was just the tip of the iceberg, suggesting that many other offenders might be operating freely on the island. Police officials declined to comment publicly on the matter, but the case has sparked ongoing discussions about child safety and online predators in Guernsey.