Sex Offender Is British Isles' Oldest Inmate

A 96-year-old man has become the oldest serving prisoner in the British Isles after he was jailed for a series of sexual offences.

Gaston John Pinsard was sentenced to 18 months after admitting nine charges of indecent assault in which he attacked two young girls in the 1950s and 1960s.

He was first questioned by Guernsey Police officers last year and immediately confessed to the abuse.

Since then Pinsard has been on bail but has now been sent to Les Nicolles prison on Guernsey for what Judge Russell Finch described as "serious, troubling offences" with "distressing and unpleasant facts".

The Prison Officers Association told Sky News they believed it made Pinsard the oldest serving prisoner in the British Isles.

The Guernsey court heard how Pinsard touched the first girl on numerous occasions between 1951 and 1955, and the second between 1964 and 1969.

The girls were both between five and nine years old when the offences took place.

The assaults all took place at his home address in St Sampson's, Guernsey.

Pinsard told police he knew what he was doing was wrong but he had urges he could not resist. He said he was ashamed of himself and described himself as a "filthy devil".

Pinsard's legal representative told the court on Thursday about his own horrific childhood, which included being sexually assaulted at Haut de la Garenne boy's school in Jersey where he was born.

The judge said he had no choice but to impose a custodial sentence and said he had considered that Pinsard may die or become ill while in prison, despite being in good health for a 96-year-old.