A Guernsey family is asking the Royal King to pardon Robin Hood police.

During the German occupation, the Guernsey Police continued to enforce the law on the island, but were forced to submit to German authority

BBC Black and white photo of Guernsey police officers lined up in three rows for a photo. They sit in the first row, and in the back they stand on benches or chairs. They are all in uniform, and just over half of them have service medals. Six non-commissioned officers sit in the front row, with the senior officer in the center. — During the German occupation, the Guernsey Police continued to enforce the law on the island, but were forced to submit to German authority

The daughter of a Guernsey policeman convicted during the Second World War occupation of stealing from the German military has appealed to King Charles for clemency.

Sergeant Fred Dukeman – one of 17 officers convicted of the Robin Hood thefts – appeared at the Isle of Wight Crown Court with most of them were imprisoned or sent to labor camps.

In 2021, MP Jonathan Le Toque said he was “very hopeful” the States could implement a statutory pardon for officers by the end of the year.

But Guernsey’s Policy and Resources (P&R) Committee ruled this out last month and said a “conciliatory statement” would “form part of the island’s 80th anniversary of Liberation Day”.

Rose Short said her father was convicted of stealing a packet of sugar and a jar of coffee

A woman with short gray hair, wearing a yellow blouse, is sitting in a brown chair — Rose Short said her father was convicted of stealing a packet of sugar and a jar of coffee

Rosa Short, Sgt Duquemin’s daughter, said her father was accused of stealing “packs of sugar and tins of coffee” from German military stores.

For decades, she sought from the Guernsey authorities to pardon her father: “This should have been decided back in the 40s.

“We are approaching the 80th anniversary of the liberation and we want a pardon from King Charles.”

The royal prerogative of mercy has been exercised for hundreds of years.

It does not overturn a conviction—only the courts can do that—but it mitigates or removes the consequences of being convicted of an offence.

For the Channel Islands, the UK Secretary of State for Justice is responsible for recommending its use.

“They beat, kicked, lied”

Ms Short said her father was interrogated by German forces, but he “only admitted what the Germans already knew. He never gave anyone’s name voluntarily”.

She said: “They were beaten, kicked, cheated, and some of them were even threatened that if they did not sign the papers, they would bring their wives and children and treat them the same way.”

The men eventually signed documents, written in German, admitting to the crimes and that the evidence was used against them in their trials.

There were sixteen policemen were sent to prisons and forced labor camps.

Some of the men who returned home at the end of World War II suffers from debilitating illnesses and has life-changing injuriesbut they were treated as criminals and deprived of a place in the army and a pension.

Jenna Holloway said the propaganda at the time portrayed the police as the “bad guys” when they tried to help starving islanders.

A woman with light brown hair, wearing a green and white striped dress, is sitting on a park bench. — Jenna Holloway said the propaganda at the time portrayed the police as the “bad guys” when they tried to help starving islanders.

Jenna Holloway said she is “frustrated” because she is still waiting for her great-grandfather William Quinn to be pardoned.

Mr. Quinn was arrested for stealing food and trying to interfere with German troops. Later, he was deported to France and Germany, where he served hard labor.

His great-granddaughter said: “These policemen did everything they could to try to help the islanders and to try to hinder the Germans.”

Mr. Quinn was arrested in 1942 and deported to France and sent on to Germany. Police officers returned to Guernsey after the war.

Mrs Holloway said: “When they came back to Guernsey they lost their jobs, their pensions, they lost the respect of the community.

“There was a lot of Nazi propaganda at the time that made them out to be the bad guys, and unfortunately some of that has come down to today.”

“Gun to the head”

Keith Friend’s father Charles was charged at Guernsey Crown Court with stealing four cans of tomatoes.

Mr Friend said: “My father said he was told to plead guilty and co-operate and everything would be sorted out after the war.

“One of the things my father said was that it’s amazing what you would sign with a loaded gun to your head.

“They were threatened that if you did not plead guilty at the Royal Court, you would go to a court-martial, where the sentence, if found guilty, would be death.”

Mr Friend believes that the context of today’s crimes is “overlooked”.

“Seventeen policemen did not think they were doing anything bad. They fed hungry people and picked on the noses of the Germans, they did not “steal” for their own benefit.

Keith Friend’s father was accused of stealing four cans of tomatoes

A man with short gray hair in a blue shirt and jacket sits in the archive's newspaper room. — Keith Friend’s father was accused of stealing four cans of tomatoes

Deputy Peter Fairbrush, who is also a lawyer, said he was surprised that the P&R had changed its position on granting a formal pardon.

He said: “Confessions were extracted from these men. I know theft is still a crime, but if you had a modern case and a confession was extracted from the accused, that confession would not be admissible.

“They were clearly mistreated by the German tribunals. The trial at the Royal Court was a disgrace.”

Deputy Fairbrush, who served as P&R president from October 2020 to December 2023 and would have had the authority to push forward with potential pardons, but said “resources” had delayed the process and admitted he was “sad that it’s obviously not will happen now.”