Rapist’s 18-year sentence upheld
(CNS): Okeno Nicholas Solomon (26), who is currently serving a 20½-year sentence for rape, aggravated burglary, theft and sexual assault, had his appeal denied for reduction of his prison term. In a hearing held Monday, 2 September, the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal rejected arguments to cut the sentence that covered two separate instances as Solomon committed the rape during a home invasion in September 2017 while on bail and awaiting sentencing for a 2015 sexual assault and burglary.
In the original sentence handed down by Justice Marlene Carter, Solomon, who was armed with a knife during the 2017 attack, was given 18 years for the rape reduced by 25% to 13½ years due to his guilty plea, to run concurrently with eight years for aggravated burglary and four years for theft. In addition, he was sentenced to seven years for the earlier burglary and four years for the sexual assault, where he broke into a woman’s home and touched her while she was asleep in her bedroom, with those terms to run concurrently but consecutively to the 13½ years, for a total of 20½ years.
During the home invasion, Solomon threatened the victim with a knife, at one point putting it to her throat, bound her hands and feet, and raped her; she also received multiple cuts during the attack. He raped her more than once, and left a condom at the house which provided DNA evidence pointing to him. After the attack, Solomon stole several items including a laptop, cell phone and the victim’s car, which he used to flee the scene.
In arguing for a reduced sentence, attorney John Furniss said the 18 years meted out for the rape was excessive, noting the usual 10-to-12-year bracket for that crime, conceding that another three years was warranted for the aggravating factors of committing the offence while on bail, bringing the total to 15 years. He argued that since Justice Carter had already accounted for the aggravating circumstances by increasing the sentence for rape, the additional three years which brought the total sentence to 18 years amounted to “double counting”.
In handing down its decision, the Court of Appeal recounted details of the case, including the violent nature of the attack and its lasting effects on the victim, both physical and psychological, and that Solomon only pled guilty after being confronted with the DNA evidence, and said there were no mitigating factors. In addressing Furniss’ argument, the justices said the appropriate starting point for the sentence was at least 15 years and with aggravating factors the total 20-year term was “not inappropriate”, also pointing to Solomon’s previous convictions, being on bail at time of the crime and lack of remorse.
“We agree this rape fully justified a sentence of 18 years,” the court said, calling Justice Carter’s approach to the aggravating factors “impeccable”, as it refused the appeal.
okeno the Sicko needs to stay in jailO end of discussion! Move on people!
This sick S.O.B. should be left in jail for the rest of his life! I wouldn’t even want to fathom the thought of this predator loose on our streets again. Let him stay right where he is.
I pray for each one in these cases, victims and perpetrator, will get the help they need to recover from these acts. He raped, but is still a living human, and needs all the best help so that he can find a real meaningful purpose for his life and not come out only to re-offend again…if he gets better it can’t be him doing it to you or your loved one(s). I pray the victims can forgive him and start a new path to healing from his horrific acts against them…in the long run they have control over not remaining a victim ultimately making this ruin their entire lives….Lord Almighty God I pray for Your love, mercy and intervention in each of these ppls lives. In Jesus name I ask it, Amen!
A lot of rapists do it to spread their seed.. we’re animals driven to reproduce, after all. XXXX
Abortion is nothing to glorify but in cases like this, women deserve the right to make the CHOICE whether to combine and replicate her DNA with her rapists’ or to terminate the pregnancy and try again when married.
However many Christian men take it upon themselves to say they can control a woman’s right to making choices for her own body. This is frequently accomplished through lobbying. See: Alabama, where a doctor gets more time than a incestual rapist.
It puts them on par with the rapist’s desire to control.
That’s off topic, but don’t forget that 99% of abortions are not rape victims and involve healthy mothers and fetuses.
Way off topic. You can see the commenter is making the issue into a male and female thing.
How is that relevant either? Does that mean we should deny access to proper medical care to those who need it?
It could have been YOUR daughter.
Think about it for a minute….
Except I don’t have a daughter. Let the man do his time bobo.
And it could be YOUR son who did it. Teach men that no means no.
Not always 2:43.
Animals like him should be kept locked up for life.
Animals don’t rape, they mate. This man did not mate at all.
You haven’t been around chickens long enough
Put him in a cell with Ricketts.
I hope he gets the help he needs to be made while after this sentence.
I hope and pray the victims of this man can somehow, someday find some peace; I suspect there are injuries to the soul and psyche that often cannot be fully cured with therapy.
Should have gotten life. Scum of the earth
Death would by a bit harsh but do much cheaper. Not fair Cayman has to spend so much money to keep that monster in jail. Not fair to prisoners either.
in the States the death sentence actually costs more than keeping someone in prison for life, due to the added security on deathrow and all the appeals processes.