Shocking sexual assault conviction sticks
(CNS): A man who was convicted of a particularly egregious sexual assault, in which his seven-year-old victim was infected with a sexually transmitted disease, will remain in jail after his appeal against both his conviction and sentence was rejected on Friday. Devon Stewart (59), who was convicted in 2017 for gross indecency on a child and jailed for almost five years, was told that his appeal was “wholly without merit”.
Social workers who investigated the circumstances of this disturbing case believed the child had been severely traumatized by what happened. Stewart had been a friend of the victim’s family when he abused the little girl, threatened to kill her mother if she told anyone what he had done, and infected her with an STD.
He committed the offence while he was on bail over another sex-crime allegations involving a young child, though he was later acquitted of those charges because of conflicting evidence.
His appeal was based largely on his contention that the judge, who presided over the case alone, had not given full consideration at trial to an expert witness who had supported his claim at court that the child could have acquired the infection from using his bathroom.
But the appeal court dismissed that argument, pointing to exactly where the judge had considered that issue and dismissed it for a variety of reasons. These included evidence from the child, which was corroborated by a nurse she had told at the time, and evidence from the doctor who diagnosed the infection, which is extremely rare in children and when it occurs it is almost always a result of sexual abuse.
Firstly. Wow!! The system need reform. And secondly, five years would be ok for me if I was her mom,cause that would be his last 5 years breathing.
And I would then be the one to do the life sentence.
Only five years?
What message is being sent to sexual abuse survivors (not victims)?
That the judicial system do not consider the trauma they suffer warrants long jail sentences.
Especially anyone who molests a child, mandatory minimum 15-year sentence.
I don’t care what nationality this sick, demon possessed excuse of a man holds! 5 years is not enough and he should never be given the right to an appeal! We all need to fight harder for the safety of ALL our children.
A child’s rights was violated in one of the worst ways! While the perpetrator gets 3 meals a day and a comfortable place to sleep free of cost? Some punishment! The laws needs to be revised, and not just for Cayman Islands; but also worldwide!
Why wasn’t this opportunity taken to lengthen his sentence as a thank you for wasting the courts time? It was not long enough in the first place. More time given for herb!
He cannot be fixed. Already caught before so that means he’s been doing it for quite some time. They do not get caught the first time you know…
Why aren’t you anti religious ppl all marching and screaming huh??
Why should they be? the man was convicted and his appeal dismissed? Why would people march about this?
Because you could get more years than this pedo for ya lil ganja spliff, “Zion”.
Justice but unfair
You’re right, they are too busy wasting the public purse on appealing an already done deal.
Where are the Churches and good old glory boy Anthony Eden,Juju and their religious leaders now? Oh just remembered they’re going after the LGBT community as in their eyes gays are evil and ill. Now we’ve got a sexual predator abusing a 7 year old🤬and infecting her but a blind eye has been turned, again. Damm sick of you religious fanatics screaming and preaching your hate an instead should assist social programmes such as teenage pregnancy, domestic violence etc as enough is enough.
The silence from CMA, the churches, Anthony Eden, Arden McLaughin and the entire LA is deafening.
Where is the outrage against the rape, because let’s call it what it is, of a 7 year old child….let me say that again….a seven year old child…. where is the outrage?
Yet the above dare to take issue with equal rights for all? And quote biblical scripture to condone and defend their bigotry and intolerance?
The hypocrisy sickens me.
Yes agree … where are ‘Deliver is from evil’ placards now?????
And tell me how will ‘outrage’ make this better. How do you know there isn’t ‘outrage’ it doesn’t always need to be public. The police and the courts have their job to do. A crime has been committed and a sentence imposed. Maybe public ‘outrage’ could be expressed if justice was not served, but it has been. No amount of churches, synagogues or mosques are going to prevent crime.
SICK
Exodus 22:16-17
Movement of Jah people.
A horrible little man who, instead of wasting time should be begging for forgiveness. A heinous act perpetrated against an innocent child. Monster. Abhorrent.
Why aren’t the churches and all the activists marching against something so horrible as this? Baffles me!!! Should be life imprisonment for these offenders!!
I knew someone was gonna say it. Why don’t you march?
You’re clearly missing the point!
Because according to the churches they’re the moral police and have the duty to impose their “morally superior” lifestyle on others by, I quote, “directing people to god”.
Because we’re not the hypocrites here.
I’d rather the $$ spent on the appeal go towards counseling for Devon. Seems like a more worthwhile cause.
1:35 pm
Counseling? Insane, ship that predator back to his homeland. Too many of his kind perched on this rock. We may tolerate our own but not and imported Nuisance.
Where is the outcry or court deportation order. Guess he is one of them, isn’t he?
It’s time these ridiculous “appeals” are stopped, a waste of court time and of taxpayer’s money.In any event I have never heard of an animal appealing.
Presumably the headline is supposed to mean that it was a conviction for a shocking sexual assault. Not a shocking conviction.
12.14pm You should be a Govt Minister with your powers of reasoning.
5 years what a joke. that child will be damaged for the rest of her life. CMA your silence is deafening.
and where are the Bible thumper. this is acceptable
Why is it called sexual assault and not rape?
According to the Bible, he owes the bride price to her father, and she is now his wife.
The Bible does not say anything about what age is appropriate for sexual relations, but it does say that a man must pay the bride price to the father for having sex with an unmarried woman.
how do you do something like this and get 5 years … wtf is 5 years. a slap on the wrist to come back and do it again. Seriously. Laws need to be more serious. Give the minors who are affected by this, some hope … Can bet he would be out in 3 years because of “good behavior”
Personally, I would like to see public hanging brought back. It is the better action. Saves time and money, etc…….. and it would prevent this turd from becoming a re-repeat offender.
UK will not allow! Not in charge of our own destiny. UK seems to have their own issues that they cannot sort but somehow feel they can sort us out- and no we are not wanting to become a mini UK.
Stricter laws needed to protect the victims. Light sentence as far as I am concerned and he still appealed! Very disheartening for the child – and others who may be suffering in silence
But it doesn’t save time or money. Based on examples in the USA, the appeals processes take many years and cost far more than letting this POS rot in a prison for the rest of his life.
The fact he’s not serving a significantly more serious sentence is tragic.
Any chance of a deportation order, or is that something our illustrious law enforcers have neglected to even consider as an option?
You are assuming the person does not have Caymanian Citizenship?
Caymanian citizenship (which is British Overseas Territories Citizenship) generally accords no right to reside in Cayman. Caymanian status (which is different from citizenship) does, and if it was granted, is readily revocable.
He’s an expat – like too many of the criminals here. It is another clear confirmation of the failure of our immigration controls.
Waiting for a statement on this from Pastor Torrance…
The only criminals that I advocate the death sentence for is pedophiles. They are incurable and you cannot rehabilitate them. And they create traumatized victims who may become abusers themselves. It is one of the worst crimes imaginable to destroy the life and innocence of a defenseless child.
So you clearly have a hierarchy of crime. Do tell who would be exempt?
Rev. Torrence Bob, Pastor Alson Ebanks, Cayman Ministers Association where are you now?? Your position on this is…….?
Speak up, I can’t hear you!!!
Hang him! He’s not safe in society. You cannot cure a paedophile.
How can this disgusting POS have the gall to appeal?
He should have asked for life, it would be safer.
I hope he has shown deep remorse. He has, hasn’t he?
What does the CMA have to say about this?
EFFIN CRICKETS FROM THOSE PEOPLE
The judiciary have spoken. If CMA speaks out will that extend his sentence? If CMA speaks out they will just get criticized for not speaking out sooner, speaking out but not saying the right thing, speaking out on this matter but not that matter. You wouldnt be satisfied anyway. I’m not religious at all but I recognize terminal complaining when I see it. I have been to church enough to know they speak every single Sunday (or Saturday depending) against crimes such as these. The sick criminal is where he deserves to be.
And the judiciary have spoken on Civil Partnerships long before CIG and CMA made a mockery of them. But 2 sets a rules huh?
Throw away the key. This scum of the earth does not deserve a day in court. This is where I believe in Capital punishment. This is one of the few things they get right out in the Middle East. Castration, or in the case of a child, beheading it is.
You are assuming the person does not have Caymanian Citizenship?
You need to get your facts straight. In some Middle Eastern countries it is the child that would be help responsible for inviting attention.
5 years? castrate this POS and lock him up for the rest of his life.
With all the crime in the past 10 years.
About time we bring back the death penalty and change the law, as a lifer you get 200 years, not 20 years.
Start teaching people to get there act together or leave Cayman.
Enough is enough….??
Is he now married to a Caymanian? If not, will he be deported??!!! And before anyone comes back with the stupid question “how you know he isn’t from Cayman”…..let me assure you, he isn’t.
If he happens to be married to someone who is “Caymanian” they have the choice to go with him. We don’t need him here.
You mean you know who he is? Or is this prejudice ?
He is a Jamaican who worked at the Agriculture Dept. in Lower Valley. They ought to stop hiring predators. Ship his Axx back to where he can play his games.
But the prosecution never asked for a deportation order, did they?
It would appear that expatriate civil servants do not like the concept of the deportation of expatriate civil servants.