Jailed drunk driver released pending appeal

| 09/05/2018 | 28 Comments

(CNS): A fireman from Cayman Brac who was jailed for 18 months last month following his conviction for dangerous driving and seriously injuring the driver he hit in the smash was bailed Monday pending an appeal against the sentence. Colburn Martin (26) was involved in a drunken head-on collision on the Sister Islands in the summer of 2016, in which a high school vice-principal was very badly injured.

Martin was charged with dangerous driving and failing to provide a specimen in connection with the crash, which left the victim with a catalog of serious injuries, from which she is still recovering.

Despite pleas from his attorney at the time to suspend the sentence, as Martin had no previous convictions, Justice Michael Wood said the custody threshold was passed and ordered that he begin serving time immediately. While Martin had not previously been convicted of any offences, he was at the time of the collision on bail for an unrelated DUI allegation, though that was later dropped.

With Martin now scheduled to appear before the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal in the summer, Justice Carter, who heard the bail application, agreed to release Martin until that hearing on strict residency conditions, including a curfew, a $20,000 bond plus two additional sureties of $2,000, and ordered him not to consume any alcohol.

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Category: Courts, Crime

Comments (28)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Just read the Guardian article sounds like your system a good place to hard up criminals.

  2. Emperor Newclothes says:

    Released pending an appeal? Where else in the world releases its convicted criminals if they appaal?

  3. Anonymous says:

    Cultural Justice. Caymanians get a different set of rules because of the culture they had to grow up in. It can not be changed or denied. Third world rules in a third world island.

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  4. Anonymous says:

    Precedent already been set. A young Caymanian was found guilty of being drunk and he killed a mother of two in South Sound. He killed someone people and he only got 2 years. There is no consistency.

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    • Speak Now says:

      Not to mention the Immigration Officer who was involved in a hit and run which claimed the life of cyclist on Linford Pierson Highway. He served NO time. I really believe there’s is no justice on these Islands. NONE.

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  5. Anonymous says:

    This is just another example of what has happened to our society. If a fireman doesn’t want to take the responsibility for his actions, how can we expect “normal” people to do so? He should be shamed and be quiet and serve his time to ask his victim for forgiveness. I just wonder how the justice makes sure that Colburn Martin doesn’t consume any alcohol. I would provide every bar and liquor-store in the Brac with his photo and tell them not to sell to him. And twice a day to come to the police station for a breathalyzer test… Why was his other DUI allegation dropped? This is a repeat offender and shouldn’t be out on the road. That he can wiggle his way out of the prison for so long is just a proof that our justice system isn’t working.

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  6. West Bay Premier says:

    I can’t imagine how I would be treated, if I got into any trouble and caused a crime like that today at my age 69 years young , and no previous conviction no DUI . Probably get a slap on my pinky finger .

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  7. Anonymous says:

    What are the grounds for appeal?
    He refused to give a breath or blood sample which makes him guilty instantly, he caused life threatening injuries to an innocent driver and was sentenced!!!
    If he had been an ex-pat Attorney, he would have gone to jail for 3 years for the same offence….racism, nepotism, corruption…the building blocks of Cayman

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  8. Anonymous says:

    So all that “he’s found the light ” stuff was nonsense. He just pleaded guilty to try to avoid jail.

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  9. Cayman Brac people is the worst says:

    You guys are disgusting the lady didn’t even want the young man to go to jails so please explain why you guys acting this way towards the boy

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  10. Citizen for real justice. says:

    Well we can but hope that the Court of Appeal sees that the sentence was too lenient and increases it.
    Meanwhile “ordered him not to consume any alcohol”
    Yea right!

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  11. Anonymous says:

    There’s some real idiots down there.

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  12. Say it like it is says:

    Who on earth is Justice Carter?, this is anything but justice. Does this judge really believe this man guilty of such a heinous crime will be freed on appeal. More likely his sentence will, and should be, increased.Did he read the comments of Justice Wood before sentencing?.

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  13. Anonymous says:

    nonsense.

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  14. Anonymous says:

    Life continues the same as before

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  15. Anonymous says:

    What a joke. She is injured mentally and physically for life.

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    • Anonymous says:

      She is back at work as usual and holds no malice towards the young man she once taught.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Buffoon! Its a crime against society and the people not just her. he needs to be thrown in the jail for a long time to protect us from him!

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      • Anonymous says:

        Have you seen her quite obvious limp?

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      • Say it like it is says:

        8.38am An all tto Caymanian blinkered comment, locals should not be jailed. Answer ths what did he have to do to this poor woman to justify a jail sentence in your twisted opinion – knowingly drag her under his car for 2 miles until every shred of her skin was ripped off and then leave her dead?.

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