Darius Pearce | |
---|---|
Born | |
Occupation(s) | Director, politician |
Criminal status | In prison |
Conviction(s) | Money laundering |
Criminal penalty | 71⁄2 years |
Deputy for St Helier, Jersey | |
In office December 2004 –December 2008 | |
Constituency | St Helier,Jersey |
Personal details | |
Political party | Centre Party |
Darius James Pearce (born 23 February 1972) is a Jersey businessman and former politician who was imprisoned for money laundering.
Pearce was born in the City of London. He was educated at De La Salle College,Jersey. In 1997 he graduated from the University of Plymouth,where he read politics and criminal justice. In 2000 he qualified as an accountant and was appointed directorships in companies in Jersey involved in online marketing,fulfillment and accountancy. On 1 March 2009 he purchased his family's jewellery business outright. [1]
Darius Pearce first became politically active in November 2005 and acted generally in opposition to the government of Jersey. As a leading member of the Centre Party (Jersey),he stood for Deputy in St Helier 3 and 4 districts,polling 459 votes (6.9%). [2] Subsequently,he was one of the founding members of Progress Jersey,a charity and pressure group whose aims include to encourage electoral turnout and voter knowledge. He served as treasurer,until his resignation in May 2007. [3] He was editor of Parish Matters,a quarterly newsletter produced by Progress Jersey for residents of the Parish of St Helier. [4]
He was elected to the municipality of the Parish of St Helier in December 2005 serving as a roads inspector for the Roads Committee and as a member of the Constable's Accounts Committee. He was active in age of consent debates on sexual offences,and the effects of their interpretations in local law,European law and international law. [5]
Pearce has opposed a number of government propositions.
He has made submissions to various Scrutiny Panels. This includes a submission regarding Jersey's tax changes,in 2005 he noted that the EU would oppose the tax changes that the Jersey government subsequently introduced. In 2009 the EU duly noted their objection to the revised tax codes adopted by Jersey. He also presented the idea of a Business Premises Tax,which was adapted into the "Blampied proposal". [6] [7]
As a founder member,he has worked for Progress Jersey on a number of key issues including submissions made and accepted regarding the introduction of Abuse of Trust legislation,the review of changes to Jersey Taxation,Social Housing,Civil Partnerships,Legitimacy Laws and Overseas Aid.
He was responsible for the withdrawal of the initial proposition to lower the age of homosexual consent,this was later passed once the Abuse of Trust provisions were added to the amendment. [8] [9]
In 2007,he was involved with the successful campaign against the proposed Crime (Disorderly Conduct and Harassment) law,which was withdrawn amidst fears that it extended police powers too far. [10]
Pearce made a submission to Jersey scrutiny on behalf of Progress Jersey highlighting the inconsistency of the Legitimacy (Jersey) Law 1973,as amended with the position of Jersey as a signatory to the European Convention of Human Rights.
The proposition was accepted by scrutiny in June 2006 and the matter referred to the Legislation Committee. In January 2007,following the introduction of the Human Rights (Jersey) Law 2000 a case was brought before the Royal Court by a local lawyer who claimed that her illegitimate child was being discriminated against as he could not take the name of his father and that the fatherhood was not allowed to be recorded.
In June 2007 as part of her announcement to step down from office,the Home Affairs Minister Wendy Kinnard indicated that it was her intention to bring a change to the Legitimacy Law. [11]
In January 2008 the States of Jersey voted to introduce DNA tests where paternity of a child was contested, [12] and Kinnard publicly stated that she supported the introduction of the right of unmarried parents to name their child after the father.[ citation needed ]
He is also a member of the UK Conservative Party and has expressed a desire to foment stronger links with the United Kingdom Conservative Party. [13] A spokesman for the UK Conservative Party stated that Mr. Pearce,whilst not yet an official representative of the Conservative Party,had approached the party expressing an interest in re-establishing the Channel Islands branch of Conservatives Abroad and that he had been invited to talks in London. [14]
In July 2007,immediately following the announcement that the Jersey Conservative Party would be established in opposition to the incumbent government,the Jersey Evening Post reported that he made an accusation that photos picturing Senator Frank Walker with Gordon Brown and Ian Paisley were faked to insert Senator Walker in a letter to Gordon Brown. [15] However,Progress Jersey reports described the photo as simply suspicious, [16] they further indicated that no letter had been sent. [17]
Pearce subsequently apologised,explaining that it was a private joke which had been blown out of proportion by the Jersey Evening Post [18] but expressed concerns with regard to a bias in the paper in favour of former managing director and then Chief Minister Frank Walker based on e-mail correspondence with the Chief Minister and the editor of the JEP,Chris Bright. [19]
Following the Jersey Evening Post coverage of the idea of the Jersey Conservative Party,Pearce submitted a complaint to the Press Complaints Commission citing eighteen significant inaccuracies or misleading statements. The matter was resolved through mediation following the expansion of the debate on the importance of political parties in the revised Jersey constitution and an assurance from the JEP's editor of fair treatment in future. [20]
The matter added to the pressure that eventually led to the introduction of party names on Jersey ballot papers. [21]
In November 2007,he appeared in the Magistrate's Court on charges of assault against his,then,wife. He was instructed to not make contact with her. [22]
On 17 December 2020,Pearce was found guilty of using his Central Market jewellery business to launder money from a foiled plot to smuggle almost £1 million-worth of drugs into Jersey. Seven other people were previously jailed for a combined total of 74 years for their role in the conspiracy. [23] In April 2021 Pearce made an application for trial by combat as part of his appeal in addition to applying for the saisie judiciaire against his property to be amended. [24] On 1 May 2021 the court quashed his complaint describing it as "scurrilous" and rejected his application for bail. [25] Pearce was ultimately given a 7 and a half years prison sentence in July 2021. [26]
Jersey,also known as the Bailiwick of Jersey,is an island country and self-governing British Crown Dependency near the coast of north-west France. It is the largest of the Channel Islands and is 14 miles (23 km) from the Cotentin Peninsula in Normandy. The Bailiwick consists of the main island of Jersey and some surrounding uninhabited islands and rocks including Les Dirouilles,Les Écréhous,Les Minquiers,and Les Pierres de Lecq.
Although the politics of Jersey has been largely based on independent parliamentary representatives,from time to time the island has had political parties. There are currently 4 active political parties in the island.
Jèrriais literature is literature in Jèrriais,the Norman dialect of Jersey in the Channel Islands.
The pound is the currency of Jersey. Jersey is in currency union with the United Kingdom,and the Jersey pound is not a separate currency but is an issue of banknotes and coins by the States of Jersey denominated in sterling,in a similar way to the banknotes issued in Scotland and Northern Ireland. It can be exchanged at par with other sterling coinage and notes.
The Jersey Battle of Flowers is an annual carnival held in the Channel Island of Jersey on the second Thursday of August. The festival consists of music,funfairs,dancers,majorettes and a parade of flower floats alongside various street entertainers. It was inaugurated in 1902 to celebrate the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. The largest attendance to date is thought to be that of 1969 when 60,000 people were present. Current spectator numbers are around 20,000.
St. Brelade is one of the twelve parishes of Jersey in the Channel Islands. It is around 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) west of St Helier. Its population was 11,012 as of 2021.
The States of Jersey Police or States Police are a paid police force in the Bailiwick of Jersey. Alongside the unpaid Honorary Police,the States Police make up the 13 official police forces in the island,though the States Police are the only force to be a paid and to operate island-wide. The States Police was established in its current form by the Police Force (Jersey) Law,1974 and consists of around 240 officers.
St Martin is one of the twelve parishes of Jersey in the Channel Islands. It is 5.5 kilometres (3.4 mi) north-east of St Helier. It has a population of 3,948. The parish covers 10.3 km2 (4.0 sq mi).
The Jersey Evening Post (JEP) is a local newspaper published six days a week in the Bailiwick of Jersey. It was printed in broadsheet format for 87 years,though it is now of compact (tabloid) size. Its strapline is:"At the heart of island life".
Edmund Blampied was one of the most eminent artists to come from the Channel Islands,yet he received no formal training in art until he was 15 years old. He was noted mostly for his etchings and drypoints published at the height of the print boom in the 1920s during the etching revival,but was also a lithographer,caricaturist,cartoonist,book illustrator and artist in oils,watercolours,silhouettes and bronze.
Progress Jersey is a charity and pressure group in Jersey. It was formed in November 2005 by Darius J. Pearce,Daren O'Toole and Gino Risoli. The original aim of Progress Jersey was to encourage electoral participation however it soon became a regular contributor to the Scrutiny process and has lobbied primarily on issues relating to compliance with the European Convention of Human Rights.
Geraint Jennings is a Jersey member of Municipality of St Helier and linguist.
Stuart Syvret is a former Jersey politician. He held elected office as a member of the States of Jersey assembly from 1990 to 2010. From 1999 to 2007,Svyret had executive responsibilities first as President of the Health and Social Services Committee and,after the 2005 constitutional reforms,as Minister for Health and Social Services in the Council of Ministers. He was dismissed from ministerial office in September 2007 and returned to the backbenches until he was disqualified from membership of the States in April 2010 due to his absence from the island. He has been involved in a series of legal proceedings,as a defendant in a criminal prosecution in Jersey and as a claimant in judicial review and civil claims in Jersey and London.
Philip Ozouf is a Jersey politician who is currently serving as the Minister for External Relations and Financial Services and a Deputy for the Parish of St Saviour. He was a member of the States of Jersey from 1999 until 2018,serving as Economic Development Minister,Treasury and Resources Minister,and Assistant Chief Minister in the Council of Ministers.
Deputy Montfort Tadier is a Jersey politician,and a member of the States of Jersey.
Vernon Amy Tomes was Deputy Bailiff of Jersey in the Channel Islands from 1986 to 1992.
The External relations of the Bailiwick of Jersey are conducted by the External Relations department of the Government of Jersey. Jersey is not an independent state;it is a British Crown dependency,so internationally the United Kingdom is responsible for protecting the island and for consulting Jersey on international trade agreements but it is not a British territory.
Samuel Yves Mézec,is a Jersey politician who is the leader of Reform Jersey. He has been a member of the States Assembly since 2014,serving as both a Deputy and later as a Senator.
The 2022 Jersey general election was held on June 22 to elect the 49 members of the States Assembly.
Healthcare in Jersey is provided by a range of publicly and privately owned providers. Health matters are overseen by the Department of Health and Community Services in the Government of Jersey. The current Health Minister is Deputy Richard Renouf.