Edward Paisnel
Encyclopedia
Edward 'Ted' Paisnel dubbed the Beast of Jersey, was a notorious sex offender
who terrorised the Channel Island of Jersey
for a period of eleven years from 1960. He entered homes at night dressed in a rubber mask and nail-studded wristlets, attacking women and children. Reports that he would visit Haut de la Garenne
children's home are disputed. His wife, Joan Paisnel, was the founder of another community home in Jersey and it was there, at her request, that he once played Santa Claus
.
Suspicion for the attacks initially fell on an eccentric agricultural worker and fisherman, Alphonse Le Gastelois, who was arrested but released through lack of evidence. Public suspicion remained so strong, however, that Le Gastelois' cottage was burnt down in an act of arson. Le Gastelois, fearing for his life, fled to Les Écréhous where he spent 14 years in self-imposed exile on La Marmotière as the second self-styled king of the Écréhous despite being cleared of suspicion when the attacks of the Beast of Jersey continued unabated.
On 17 July 1971 Edward Paisnel was stopped by the police after jumping a red traffic light and then attempting to evade the police pursuit. In the car, which he had stolen earlier that evening, were discovered elements of his "Beast" costume. In December 1971 he was convicted of 13 counts of assault, rape and sodomy and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
In 1972 his wife Joan Paisnel wrote the book The Beast of Jersey (published by NEL Paperbacks).
Edward Paisnel returned to Jersey briefly following his release from prison but moved away due to the strength of local feeling against him. He died in the Isle of Wight in 1994.
Sex offender
A sex offender is a person who has committed a sex crime. What constitutes a sex crime differs by culture and by legal jurisdiction. Most jurisdictions compile their laws into sections such as traffic, assault, sexual, etc. The majority of convicted sex offenders have convictions for crimes of a...
who terrorised the Channel Island of Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
for a period of eleven years from 1960. He entered homes at night dressed in a rubber mask and nail-studded wristlets, attacking women and children. Reports that he would visit Haut de la Garenne
Haut de la Garenne
The Jersey Accommodation and Activity Centre is a building in Saint Martin, Jersey, in the Channel Islands. It was formerly known as the Industrial School, the Jersey Home for Boys, and Haut de la Garenne. Its previous uses have included being an industrial school, a children's home, a military...
children's home are disputed. His wife, Joan Paisnel, was the founder of another community home in Jersey and it was there, at her request, that he once played Santa Claus
Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
.
Suspicion for the attacks initially fell on an eccentric agricultural worker and fisherman, Alphonse Le Gastelois, who was arrested but released through lack of evidence. Public suspicion remained so strong, however, that Le Gastelois' cottage was burnt down in an act of arson. Le Gastelois, fearing for his life, fled to Les Écréhous where he spent 14 years in self-imposed exile on La Marmotière as the second self-styled king of the Écréhous despite being cleared of suspicion when the attacks of the Beast of Jersey continued unabated.
On 17 July 1971 Edward Paisnel was stopped by the police after jumping a red traffic light and then attempting to evade the police pursuit. In the car, which he had stolen earlier that evening, were discovered elements of his "Beast" costume. In December 1971 he was convicted of 13 counts of assault, rape and sodomy and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
In 1972 his wife Joan Paisnel wrote the book The Beast of Jersey (published by NEL Paperbacks).
Edward Paisnel returned to Jersey briefly following his release from prison but moved away due to the strength of local feeling against him. He died in the Isle of Wight in 1994.
External links
- http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~jimthing/human.htm Info on biography written by his wife.
- http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article3434297.ece Times online article on Paisnel.