Beast of Jersey

States of Jersey police outside the Royal Court

The mask worn by Edward Paisnel during his horrific assaults that included children as victims 

The face of evil. Mug shot of Edward Paisnel

The picturesque beaches of Jersey 

Alphorn Le Gastelois after fleeing the island. Wrongly accused and persecuted.

A police officer ‘models’ The clothes and mask worn by the ‘Beast of Jersey’ during his attacks. He made sure that he had nail studded wristlets so that if a victim fought back, they would be injured.

             

 The picturesque island of Jersey sits in the bay of St. Malo, only 14 miles from the coast of Normandy.

It’s quaint streets and low crime rate attracts tourists as well as those wanting to start a new life.

However, during the 1950’s terror would grip the island. A predator lurked in the shadows.

In 1957 a nurse was waiting at a bus stop in Mont  a l’abbé. A man approached her, dressed in a long coat and a scarf hiding his identity.

He struck her on the head, tied a rope around her neck then dragged her into a nearby field. There he sexually assaulted her.

A second attack occurred when a 20 year old lady had just got off her bus. Using the same method, he dragged her into a field and again sexually assaulted her.

A man hunt was underway. The states of Jersey police dubbed him the ‘Beast of Jersey’. The attacks continued. 

He would also sneak into holes during the night and attack women and children. 

They all gave the same description. He wore a rubber mask, He had wristlets which were nail studded.

The Jersey police intent on finding this sick individual set their sights on an eccentric man by the name of Alphinse Le Gastelois. He was questioned and then released due to lack of evidence.

Despite the fact that there was nothing that pointed to this man being the ‘Beast’, hatred in the community grew, the cottage of Alphonse burnt to the ground due to arson.

He feared for his life and decided that the safes thing to do was to leave the island. He moved to Les Echreois. He was later dubbed ‘Kind of the Echreois’

After Alphonse left, the attacks continued. Residents were terrified and families worried that their home would be the next that would be entered.

On the 17th July, 1971, a Jersey resident by the name of Edward Paisnel was stopped by the police after Failing to stop at a red light and evading a police pursuit.

In the car that he had stolen earlier that night, the police discovered several pointed sticks as well as elements of his ‘Beast’ costume.

He was later arrested, charged and convicted of 13 counts of assault, rape and sodomy. He was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment.

After his prison sentence in the UK ended, Edward Paisnel returned to Jersey, however, due to the strength of bad feeling towards him, he soon left.

He moved to the Isle of Wight where he later died in 1994.