Serial burglar faces near 8-year jail term

Courthouse door, Grand Cayman

(CNS): A 29-year-old man from George Town who stole more than $150,000 worth of jewellery when he broke into a Prospect home in December 2013 was handed a lengthy prison term by a Grand Court judge recently as a result of his serial offending. Otis Myles was sentenced to seven years and nine months in prison because of his long rap sheet, which included eight previous burglary convictions and five for handling stolen goods, all on top of three new convictions from the Summary Court relating to separate break-ins over the last three years.

Acting judge, Alastair Malcolm, presided over the sentencing of Myles for the three latest convictions as a magistrate had sent the cases up because of the limited powers of the lower court to hand down long terms.

The convictions included the residential burglary over Christmas of 2013, in which Myles reportedly ransacked the home of a family away for the holidays. During the break-in he made off with a safe which, along with private papers, cash, binoculars and watches, contained jewellery collected by one of the homeowners during her whole life and which had significant sentimental value as well as a financial worth of around $150,000.

A police officer who came across the burgled premises also found various other items which appeared to have been abandoned outside the property, including a TV, a laptop, fishing rods, diving gear and a generator.

After Myles’ fingerprints were found at the premises, he was arrested and eventually charged but he denied the allegations and after appearing in court in February 2014 he was bailed to await trial. During that extended period and more than a year later he was arrested for two other break-ins at commercial premises in George Town while on conditional bail.

Myles denied breaking into a business on Seymour Drive, where he was interrupted by the owners and fled empty-handed, and another break-in at church school on Crewe Road, where nothing was taken, though he had broken into a filing cabinet. Myles’ fingerprints and DNA were found at both scenes, and cars he had access to were recorded on CCTV near to the crime scenes at the time of the break-ins. Despite the evidence, he still denied any involvement and was remanded until his trials.

Based on his history, Justice Malcolm sentenced Myles to six years and nine months for the house burglary, which he said was a serious offence compounded when the defendant ransacked the home. The cherished missing jewels have never been recovered. The judge then added another twelve months for the commercial break-ins, arriving at the seven years nine month term.