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Jersey Occupation-era political prisoner records released

Jersey Heritage Beryl Wickings prisoner registration card.Jersey Heritage
Beryl Wickings was 14-years-old when she was imprisoned for political offences for one night

The records of political prisoners from the Nazi occupation of Jersey in World War Two have been released.

Jersey Heritage said it was fitting to mark the occupation-era "defiance" in the year of the 75th anniversary of the island's liberation.

Among the crimes committed were painting V signs, spreading anti-German propaganda and listening to radios.

The most severe sentence was the five-years in prison given to Philip Ozard, 53, for unauthorised weapon possession.

Jersey Heritage Ledger of prisoners and sentencesJersey Heritage
Philip Ozard's name is listed in a register of sentences

Mr Ozard was jailed in France in 1942, before being sent to a forced labour Camp in Neuoffingen, Germany for two years.

He was eventually freed from Landsberg Prison by American soldiers in April 1945.

Two of the youngest prisoners were schoolgirls Kathleen Duckworth, 15, Beryl Wickings, 14, from St Helier, who were convicted for unspecified "political offences".

Both of them were released after a single night in custody.

Jersey Heritage Kathleen Duckworth's prisoner registration card.Jersey Heritage
Fifteen-year-old Kathleen Duckworth's prisoner registration card

Public access to the records had previously been restricted for 75 years in 1945 under Jersey's freedom of information laws.

Linda Romeril from Jersey Heritage said: "It is fitting that in this significant year the Political Prisoner's Register from HM Prison is one of the documents that has been opened to the public."

In addition to the prisoner's register, Jersey Heritage opened up hundreds of other historical records on 1 January.

Among these documents are the 1919 hospital admission register, police arrest registers and witness depositions from criminal cases.