Man jailed after streaming attack on Snapchat
(CNS): Sidney Henry (21) will serve at least ten months of a 20-month sentence in jail after he pleaded guilty to what a judge called a “vicious assault” last year on a former friend. As well as the violence inflicted, Henry also cut off his victim’s hair locks and streamed the entire assault on the social media platform Snapchat.
Henry has no previous violent convictions, but Justice Cheryll Richards said the circumstances of the assault warranted time in custody because it was a targeted, planned attack, fuelled by Henry’s dislike of his one-time school and church friend’s lifestyle choices.
It was never made clear during the sentencing hearings what it was about the victim that made the judge find that the attack was driven by discrimination, be it gender, sexual orientation or a religious view. However, during the attack, Henry hacked all but two of his old friend’s locks from his head.
The judge said that this added to the degradation that the victim suffered during the physical assault, especially as it was streaming live on social media. The attack itself was preceded by a series of threats that Henry made on other social media platforms to seriously harm the man. He had also circulated an intimate image of the victim on social media without permission.
Then, one evening in October last year, the man who was assaulted by Henry was playing video games in a shed with a friend when the power went out. The extension chord had been unplugged, and shortly after it was put back, it was removed again. After hearing rustling in the bushes, the victim took a flashlight and went to investigate. It was then he encountered Henry and another individual.
The assault began almost immediately. Henry punched his former friend in the face and, armed with a rusty machete, repeatedly slapped him with the side of the blade. The victim managed to get away from Henry for a moment, but the attacker threw an object at his victim, who fell to the ground.
Then, in what Justice Richards described as a prolonged and persistent attack, Henry continued to beat his former friend, inflicting a catalogue of injuries to his face, head, arms, hands, back and hip. It wasn’t until Henry switched his grip to his victim’s t-shirt that the man was able to wriggle out of the clothing and escape to the safety of his home, where he slipped into unconsciousness as he waited for the ambulance.
According to a victim impact report, the injured man was deeply traumatised by the incident. He continues to have nightmares and remains concerned that Henry will come after him again once he is released from jail.
Henry was not arrested until several months later and was charged earlier this year. He pleaded guilty shortly after his first court appearance when he also admitted being intoxicated at the time of the assault.
The court heard how Henry had endured a troubling, violent and dysfunctional upbringing where he was subject to beatings, which he said were administered by his parents for sport. He admitted having a drinking problem, but after being remanded in custody, he told social workers ahead of the sentencing that he wanted to turn his life around, become a better person and be there for his unborn child and its mother.
He expressed deep remorse and sorrow for his actions, given that his victim was once a good friend. Henry also wrote directly to him, apologising for his behaviour and admitting he had no justifiable excuse and that he should have known better.
The judge pointed out that it was Henry’s dislike of his friend’s choices that appeared to have fuelled the anger. Speaking directly to Henry, who appeared via video link from Northward, where he has been on remand for several months, Justice Richards told him he had no business interfering with the choices people make about their lifestyle.
She said these were “private decisions, and you should not have inserted your views much less by commission of a criminal offence”, and she admonished Henry for the unprovoked and vicious planned attack.
Taking into account both aggravating and mitigating factors, the judge arrived at a sentence of 30 months, but given Henry’s early guilty plea, she said he was entitled to the full one-third discount, reducing the time to 20 months.
Considering his current situation, the judge opted not to suspend the full sentence but to make him serve half in jail and half in the community. She also ordered Henry to continue the counselling and rehabilitation he has been engaging in since he was remanded during his remaining time in custody and once he is released on parole.
- Fascinated
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Sick. Low sentence! Yet again.
Yes hard head locals can’t act preventativly and petition the near useless MPs to instruct the courts to apply meaningful sentences!
But then these courts for years support anything than tears our civil fabric, it seems.
Sidney Henry you seem to have a lot of bottled up frustration. Do you not think it would have been better that you ‘made out’ with your friend instead of lashing out on him the wrong way. It is obvious that men who have hatred toward other men because of their sexuality are themselves either closeted gay, bi, bi-curious, heteroflexi, or outright just fu**ki*g nuts. As for you, I think the last just might not apply to you though.
As an aside, I’ve always thought “locks” are dirty and used by a certain criminal element to hide contraband.
“Henry was not arrested until several months later”. Why on earth did it take so long?
I suspect it’s a person I used to teach. This was a government school, so it’s very, very likely that he’s local. So for those calling for deportation, the furthest you’ll get with that is maybe to Kaibo, or possibly a sister island. You’re stuck with this maladjusted young man.
You can suspect whatever you want, but that doesn’t make it true. This is another of the imported “brightest and best the island has to offer” that we hear so much about on CNS comments.
Sidney Henry, please note the majority of ‘Straight’ men do not give a flying fart what other grown men do in their private lives.
It seems that you have an issue that needs to be sorted and hopefully your time in jail will give you a chance to do just that.
If you are not a Caymanian then there should be an order in place for your deportation when you have served your time.
Persons, like yourself, are either an asset or liability to the society you live in. At the moment, you are in the latter bracket.
You are young, so there is time for you to get help for the hatred you have in your heart. Hatred in the long run will damage you more than the pain you inflicted on someone that you once called a friend.
Why is he going to be released on parole? Why is he not to be deported immediately on his release from Prison?
DO NOT PASS GO. DO NOT COLLECT $200!!!
It is really simple. What happened to our laws and to our standards?
Read the piece about his unborn child- call me a cynic but bet your boots its an anchor baby. Assault was 8 months ago – any bet the baby was conceived after the arrest? DReduced sentence so he can “be there for his unborn child and its mother” and a get out of deportation free card. Added by the inevitable status in due course.
what a POS
Plenty more like him here now. Mind where you are at all times.
10 months? Caymans judicial system failing again as per usual.
thats because we follow behind the UK’s failing justice system.
They’re mad that you’re right 😂
Deport him.
Joke sentence.
That act deserved at least 5 years. What a weak sentence.
From what I have read here, I can’t help wondering where this 21-year-old man learned such hate. In the family, his yard and wider living environment, his Church upbringing or his lack of unacceptance of his self. Even though the article doesn’t state this outright, it seems like he attacked his friend for his sexual orientation.
If this is the case, this young man needs serious ongoing counselling if he doesn’t accept his own sexual orientation. Let it be known loud and clear here, the majority of ‘Straight’ men do not give a flying fart what other men do in their private lives.
Apology given and a show of remorse is not good enough and it seems that neither would have come about had he not been charged for his crime.
Grow up, get the counseling you need as it is obvious you need some serious help, and learn to keep your business out of other people’s business.
Furthermore, if this young man is not a Caymanian, an order for deportation should be made as it is highly likely that he will be a total nuisance in our society.
Seems like he had an issue with Rastafarians if he chopped off his dreads??!! How do you get sexual orientation from the story ? Stop trying to make everything about lgbt there are other groups that are victimized as well…
well to be honest I thought it was lgbt too. Whatever the issue, he needs to be spending more time in jail. XXX
If it was sexual orientation the judge is hardly being politically correct by referring to it as a lifestyle choice lol.
Like everyone else I really don’t know what went down, but considering your comment and others, I do know that some rasta won’t tolerate LGBT and would probably cut off someone’s locks for that, so in theory both could be right. Either way, best to await further info than speculate and jump to conclusions.
“I can’t help wondering where this 21-year-old man learned such hate.”
“his Church upbringing”
You likely answered your own question. There is no better place to learn hatred than disguising it as religions’ “love”.
Probably the church.
Christianity has been getting less tolerant and more hateful for years.
Just look up north.
Many of our churches are well affiliated with them.
What a silly comment. He has a baby on the way so where do you get this was fuelled by sexuality? The article states his parents beat the crap out of him for sport so this church upbringing he speak of doesn’t exist. It’s the cycle of abused kids grow up to abuse people. But I do agree he should deported!
Sounds like a pretty vile attack! Anyone who attacks someone with a machete is a pansy and loser. Pathetic that Henry knocked up a girl. In fine fashion this single parent mom theme continues in Cayman perpetuating the massive disadvantage and struggle of the child upbringing. That’s the #1 root cause problem in Cayman and in the USA
This is pathetic of his baby mama… Our young people lack standards. Even if this attack didn’t happen he’s no real bachelor. Just a wannabe gangster that no one should be attracted to.
20 months??? For being a damn animal!!!