Labourer jailed after chemical attack on janitor
(CNS): A Jamaican construction worker who blinded a janitor at the luxury condo complex where they both worked was jailed for three years last month after he pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm. Beno Rayvon McKenzie (30) threw industrial-strength cleaner at Samuel Ritch during an argument in January last year while Ritch was mopping the floor at the Aura in South Sound.
The chemical caused burns to his upper body and permanently blinded him completely in one eye and partially in the other.
The row had erupted after McKenzie and another person walked across the floor area that Ritch had just cleaned. When he called them up about it and took a picture, McKenzie, who had a history of previous disagreements with Ritch, demanded he delete the picture.
But after the janitor said it had already gone to his boss, McKenzie threatened him. He then left the area and went to his car. He returned with a bottle of H7 degreaser and threw it at Ritch. The chemical hit him in the face and around his left shoulder and chest.
After punching and kicking him while he was on the floor, all caught on CCTV, McKenzie left Ritch covered in the caustic substance. The badly injured janitor managed to call 911, and an ambulance took him to hospital. Over the last year or so, Ritch has been seen by various specialists, and these medical experts have documented the permanency of his sight loss.
During the sentencing hearing before Justice Emma Peters, the court heard that all aspects of Ritch’s life have been changed. He can no longer work and cannot even walk alone and unaided, let alone drive. According to the victim impact report, his life has been turned upside down.
When he was arrested, McKenzie admitted to the attack but claimed he was provoked because of the history between the men. He claimed that Ritch held a grudge against him and was trying to tarnish his character.
The social inquiry report did not reveal any abuse or violence in McKenzie’s background. Despite losing his father as a very young child, he said he was brought up in a close, supportive, loving home with Christian values in Jamaica.
McKenzie first came to Cayman when he was just 18 to look for work and was on a work permit at the time of the violent assault. But he claimed to be under stress because he had not been getting his full pay from the company and had been struggling to get what he was owed for the work he had done. He felt at the time that Ritch was provoking him and had been trying to get him fired, which had fuelled the tensions between them.
However, the judge did not buy his provocation claims. The maximum term for such an offence is seven years, but given the circumstances, the judge started her sentence at four and a half years. Because McKenzie had no previous convictions, his sentence was reduced by six months, and he was given a 25% reduction for the late guilty plea. Therefore, the sentence was reduced to three years.
McKenzie had been on bail while awaiting trial and was taken into custody immediately after the trial.
There have been repeated calls from the community for judges to issue deportation orders for those who have no residency rights in Cayman to be deported on completion of their sentences. However, the court does not have jurisdiction. It is Customs and Border Control that is responsible for removing people who are in Cayman unlawfully.
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The new government MUST bring forth a BILL and the PASS in to LAW that ALL foreign persons who are on work permit, PR or Status that commit a SERIOUS CRIME should be IMMEDIATELY DEPORTED AFTER SERVING THEIR PRISON SENTENCE. If not, the courts and CBC will continue to allow such individuals to remain in our country to reoffend again more so than likely.
So men throwing chemicals now?. That was a lenient sentence for such a serious injury. If a foreigner is required a clean police record to enter Cayman, then a criminal offense should revoke any permits to stay. Automatic deportation after sentence served. Cause for pause.
I don’t know anything about Beno McKenzie ! but I know Samuel Ritch
loves to mess with people , back in the late 90’s I was looking lobster in east end and he deflated the the tire on my truck and called the police on me telling them I was in the marine park which I was not , the officer that arrived was MR Wilfred Myles who observed me for sometime before I came to the shore where he was waiting to question me regarding the report Samuel Ritch made , he noted it was no offense committed and sent me on my way with my 6 lobsters after I changed my flat ,
This seems a surprisingly lenient sentence. I suppose Justice Peters is new to the island and still used to the UK system.
That seems a lenient sentence for the severity of injuries.
The stupidity of humans. A wet and clean floor turns into permanent vision loss in one eye, because of… what exactly? I’m sure this situation could have been de-escalated at multiple points, but pride and foolishness reigned supreme.
If the courts cant order deportation, how can customs and border control? Something is awfully wrong here!
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The courts can order deportation. The government lawyers have to ask for it. Why don’t they?
Ask for deportation? When they are the major part of our problem. They all come from back a yard.
Why not give this savage a Gold Star, a free condo and a shop front in Rena?
and…and Glitter Cupcake as well?!
I hope the victim files a Big Civil Lawsuit for damages!
Useless courts, always throw the bread and keep the Jam
Your bringing in idiots Cayman
say it again. you bring in trash from any country and you’ll end up with a dump. Cayman addiciton to cheap labor will cause irreversible social damage.
Has caused
Deport him.
Being Jamaican he is probably baby daddy to different Cayman women and he will be needed to support and mentor his brood..!
This is a level of wicknedness I haven’t seen, I don’t know what kind of culture we have imported into this country but this is pure evil to the highest calibre. 3 years for taking a man’s eyesight and permanently changing his life? The system is an absolute joke man. Cayman is truly finished.
3 years means that he will be free in 18 months – that is a ridiculously short sentence for ruining another persons life.
There is no mention of a deportation order – does that mean that this criminal will be back on our streets in a few months????
NO. Prison, minimum 15 years, then deportation.
Three years is not nearly enough for blinding a person. In his shoes, I would pay for dire consequences in jail, and then his slow death once paroled. Your eyes are everything. Horrible, horrible thing to do to someone.