Scammer may soon be freed with sentence do-over

| 08/06/2021 | 53 Comments
Cayman News Service
Judith Douglas

(CNS): Judith Douglas (55), who was convicted of conning a man out of more than CI$1.9 million in a massive PR and Caymanians status scam, could soon be released from prison after a judge re-sentenced her on Tuesday to serve five years. In a case that has stretched out for more than a decade, Douglas was convicted and sentenced to ten years in jail in the summer of 2019 but successfully appealed. The case was set for retrial this year but just before the case opened she pleaded guilty. In the new sentence ruling, Justice Phillip St John-Stevens said he had considered all of the circumstances, including her conviction for a similar offence that overlapped.

The judge considered the totality of the time she has spent in jail, her personal situation, the general mitigation and the rehabilitation she has already gone through in jail, as well as her eventual guilty plea. He also gave her credit for serving time during the COVID-19 lockdown because of the increase in solitary confinement, and the various delays in the original case and in her appeal, which were also affected by the pandemic.

Douglas appealed successfully in October last year after the higher court found that the judge in the trial, which was finally completed in July 2019, was prejudiced against her and she did not receive a fair trial. They therefore ordered a new trial.

With a new sentence of five years, Douglas will soon be due to appear before the Conditional Release Board as she has already served about three years at HMP Fairbanks in relation to this particularly well-documented case.

Douglas began conning Nathanial Robb in November 2010. By the time she was charged in 2017, he had been defrauded out of more than CI$1.9 million.

While the judge noted the description of this as the “most cynical of scams” by other courts and the serious aggravating factors of the massive con, he focused on the report from the prison that outlined the defendant’s response to custody and her impeccable behaviour during her time in jail.

Douglas, who was quietly emotional as the judge read his sentencing, was clearly delighted when the court confirmed the much lighter sentence than she originally received for her first conviction and the implication that she could be released very shortly.

At the conclusion of the sentencing hearing, the crown asked for a pending charge against her for another deception offence to be left on file. As a result prosecutors will not pursue the allegation that she conned another two victims out of around $4,000 after taking payments for the sale of bedroom furniture and a refrigerator that she never supplied.


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Category: Courts, Crime

Comments (53)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    If it had been a poor Caymanian like me, my ass would be locked up for at least 15 years.

  2. Anonymous says:

    The corruption in the Cayman Islands never ceases to amaze me. Absolutely disgusting.

  3. Anonymous says:

    Probably end up with her job back and getting promoted. World Class. There same to be a fetish amongst prison officers, prisoners and leaders of Ci..l Se…ce.

  4. Duchess of Fairbanks says:

    Free at last ! We knew this was coming now didn’t we ?? I wonder if the Hummer will be picking her up from the prison when she is released?? Rolling BIG Girl !

  5. Too much 4 play 4 U says:

    Boy when you got connection eh Judith??? Bet you legal not going to appeal this one ???

  6. Anonymous says:

    If the original trial finished July 2019, she can’t have served 3 years in Fairbanks for this matter. Mind you, isn’t this the same Douglas that was convicted in 2015 for another immigration fraud?

    CNS: She spent time in custody during the long court proceedings.

  7. J.A.Roy Bodden says:

    This is a most unfortunate occurrence and it speaks to the level of corruption in the Cayman Islands .In another jurisdiction both parties in this sordid affair would be in trouble . One for committing a serious fraud and the other for subverting the system . Forget about labelling the person who lost the money as a “victim “. There is only one word to describe such a person and that word does not begin with a “v” .The only victims in this case are the Caymanian people and those honest ,law abiding applicants who file their applications according to the law … and regrettably , through no fault of their own are often denied .

  8. Anonymous says:

    What happened to the judge that was deemed by the Appeals Court to have been prejudiced against her? Any disciplinary action?

  9. Anonymous says:

    Crooked rass soon be out to cook again!!

  10. Anonymous says:

    Seems like her conduct in jail should be considered when she comes up for release, not when she is being sentenced. It seems like double counting. Even if it was proper to consider at sentencing, it should be remembered she is a con artist. Of course she was a good citizen while her case was on appeal. Who is choosing all these lenient judges?

  11. Anonymous says:

    Is the victim the richest dive instructor on the planet?

    • Anonymous says:

      That’s what I thought. A dive instructor? That’s a minimum wage job plus some tips if you are lucky. How on earth does he/she have $1.9m to spend on this con? Must have money from something other than diving!

    • Anonymous says:

      I thought he owned the dive shop?

    • Anonymous says:

      It is possible for people to have multiple jobs/careers you know… no need to be bitter.

  12. GT Seventh Day Adventist. says:

    Praise be the Lord!

    • Anonymous says:

      Have a read of the compass article today on sexual abuse and see where a religious uneducated society is getting you

  13. Goodheart says:

    She has made her mistakes and paid a price for them like others. At least she helped a lot of people and had a good heart. Stop the bashing, no one is perfect. Pray God for her, at least she has redeemed herself.

  14. Anonymous says:

    It seem every law is for the criminal in these Islands. This sends a message for everyone to steal millions and serve 5 years. Good investment plus the 5 years in jail the tax payers feed you, so you even saves on food and utilities for 5 years .

  15. Anonymous says:

    cayman justice = no justice.

  16. just saying says:

    There is no justice anymore for the victims. The scales of justice are weighted heavily now in favour of the offenders.

  17. Anonymous says:

    Deportation order? And before anyone says she is Caymanian, are they sure? And if so, are they sure her status couldn’t be revoked? Has anyone even checked?

    • george says:

      She is Caymanian born and bred!!!

      2
      1
      • Anonymous says:

        How do you know George? Was she born in Cayman before 1972?

      • Anonymous says:

        Why do Caymanians live in denial about having your own born and raised Caymanian criminals? Smdh. Claim her, she is definitely yours.

        • Anonymous says:

          Because many of the so called born and raised Caymanian criminals are in fact foreign nationals who should not legally be here, let alone be called Caymanian.

    • Anonymous says:

      Where will she be deported to? She caymanian, through and through. You ppl so bias that you can’t even recognize your own.

  18. Anonymous says:

    it would take me more than 50 years to save that kind of money!

  19. Anonymous says:

    That is mucho dinero.
    Where did it go?

  20. Anonymous says:

    glad appeals court found prejudice….hey guys..try suing the govt…u see it all…

  21. Anonymous says:

    Wow! She is clearly a professional con who will have a million $$ to live on while her victims suffer… and the Courts show pity??!!

    Is something wrong with this picture? Apparently not per Cayman justice system!! Disgusting!!

    • Anonymous says:

      Biggest piece of stupidity I’ve ever heard and how can people be so stupid to be scammed out of 1.9 million dollars, cons like her need a public assing with a wet leather belt . Mo mercy and would be a deterrent for future cons.

      • Anonymous says:

        As stupid as collecting trillions and having people die because someone told another what they have to sing, eat, give $$$, for a wonderful afterlife?

    • Anonymous says:

      12:49.Pm, uoubare right, something fishy with this Does she have to pay back the money to the righful owner ?. And she has another case pending? Something is really wrong in these Islands. It seems the wrong doers has all the rights. Sad, very sad indeed.

    • Anonymous says:

      Maybe Mr. Big helped her.

  22. Anonymous says:

    5 years seems too little particularly when in Cayman criminals only serve a tiny fraction of their sentences. 5 years ought to mean 5 years and not 6 weeks.
    Perhaps it is time for consideration to be given to Parliament specifying minimum sentences and limiting early release/parole to minor offenses.

  23. Anonymous says:

    Was the money ever returned ? Of not this works out to be a very sound investment. It would take me more than 5 years to save $2M

  24. Really says:

    This is a disgrace, she should have to work to pay back every last dime she stole from her victims, with interest! I can’t imagine how many more people like her are doing this to hardworking people and its just not being reported. That being said people need to realise that there are a ton of dishonest people out there, stop being so trusting because they seem nice, or come across professional avoid third parties when dealing with immigration or banking matters and for sale of goods make sure you receive it and check it out before forking over money.

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