One of the most shocking stories we have run was on yesterday’s front page: the jailing for four years of La Fregate’s larger than life director Chris Sharp for child pornography charges.

It certainly surprised the many people who knew of him by reputation or were a personal acquaintance either through the hotel or his external business or leisure interests.

The two aspects of the case that will disturb most are how someone of his background and reputation – he was always stressing his family links – could be involved in such filth and his inability or refusal to understand that he had done anything wrong.

Some of his supporters will also be in denial – ‘what a shame’, ‘such a nice chap’, ‘devastated for him…’

What has to be remembered, however, is that at the extreme end of the scale, as eight images and two videos were in his case, children are bound, trussed, set upon sexually by animals and tortured.

These are not willing actors. They are terrified youngsters, often snatched from Third World homes, who escape their plight only when they become so maimed or torn that they have no further value.

And they are subject to these appalling ordeals because people like Chris Sharp want to revel in their torment and feel… well, who knows what?

So, unfortunate, well-liked businessman – or twisted sicko?

Islanders will have their own views but as the disgraced hotelier begins his first full week in jail on Monday, the Royal Court has made its opinion very clear. While the courts are at times open to criticism for their sentencing policies, this outcome was correct. Guernsey has a problem with child abuse – often insufficiently prosecuted – and the other ongoing online paedophillia investigations suggest there are issues there, too.

Whatever individual thoughts are on such crimes, courts and prosecutors rightly take the view that these are not victimless offences.

The consequences on the children unwillingly involved are real, appalling and, in the worst videos, can be fatal.

Yet, as we have seen, those feeding the demand for such material unbelievably cannot see  anything wrong with it at all.

And that’s the true crime.