A tourist has been deported after pronouncing the X in Vauxbelets.
Jason Jones, supposed mainlander, was staying at Moores hotel and was heard by a policeman asking for directions to ‘Voxbillets’.
He was promptly arrested and brought before the Magistrates Court.
Dennis Torode, the magistrate, sentenced him to immediate deportation and a fine of £2,000 to be paid immediately.
“This court finds this crime to be most heinous, and sees fit to sentence you to immediate deportation.
“Any attempts made to reenter the island will result in you being brought back before this court and we will be seeking far more stringent punishment.”
This is the first case of Mispronunciation of a Guernsey Place to be heard in the modern day.
In 1812, Dutchman Johann Van der Froon was sealed in a cask of bean jar for the over-pronunciation of Fermain.
This punishment was the style at the time for racially-charged crimes, “Come from afar, you risk the jar,” was a common saying.
The oldest known case, dating back to 1768 resulted in Cyril Le Quesne of St Brelade in Jersey, being flown from the flag pole on Castle Cornet for three weeks.
It’s not immediately clear what happened to him after that, although historians believe he returned to Jersey a hero.
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