Cayman prisoner challenges transfer to UK
Justin Ramoon (far left) and Osbourne Douglas escorted by prison officers as the court visits the scene of Jason Powery’s murder
(CNS): A Caymanian prisoner serving a life sentence for murder who was recently transferred to Belmarsh Prison in the United Kingdom has filed an application for judicial review challenging the transfer on human rights and procedural grounds. Osbourne Douglas (31) from George Town, who was convicted last year, along with his brother Justin Ramoon (26), of killing Jason Powery in a gang-related shooting in George Town in 2015, stated that he was told about his transfer only moments before he was placed aboard a London-bound flight and a prison guard informed him it was because his life was in danger.
In a detailed application, filed in the Grand Court last week, requesting a review of the decision which officials said in a press release was for national security reasons, attorneys acting for Douglas asked for their client to be returned to HMP Northward to continue serving his 34-year life term in his own country, where he can retain connections to his family and pursue his appeal against the conviction.
The court documents claim that Douglas was not given any notice of the transfer until he was removed by prison staff from HMP Northward on 22 June.
“He was told informally by a prison officer that the reason for his removal was that there was information that people were coming to the prison to kill him,” the documents state. The lawyers said Douglas did not consent to the transfer, he was not told where he was going, nor was he given a chance make any representations about his removal.
“He was not permitted to inform his family or his attorneys about the transfer before it occurred. He has not been told how long he is to remain in the United Kingdom. He has not been given any written or formal reasons or document relating to his removal,” the lawyers wrote in the application.
The press release that was issued after Douglas was deported, said it was “in the interests of national security and the public safety of the people of the Cayman Islands”. But the lawyers said Douglas was being held in the maximum security unit at HMP Northward and did not consider himself at risk of harm from others and denied he posed a risk to the public.
Furthermore, they said, although the prison staff told their client his removal was for his own safety, the official press release made no mention of this, and despite their attempts to get a reason in writing, the authorities have still not offered a formal reason for his transfer.
A week after Douglas was sent to the UK, his brother Justin Ramon was also transferred to the same prison. The lawyers said that since then he has had no other family contact. His family is in the Cayman Islands, including his 7-year-old daughter, his mother, sister and partner, all of whom visited him regularly at HMP Northward. And while he had daily telephone contact with members of his family when he was at Northward, he has not been permitted to call them since he was placed at Belmarsh.
The lawyers said that the decision to transfer Douglas was unlawful as it breached his constitutional right to private and family life, as set out at Article 9 (1) of the Bill of Rights. They also said the transfer itself was made contrary to the principles of natural justice and procedural fairness. The authorities have given no formal indication of why he was removed and gave him no opportunity to challenge the basis of his removal.
Douglas’ brother, Justin Ramoon, was also transferred to Belmarsh exactly one week after Douglas. It is not clear if the two men have been allowed any contact with each other or the circumstances of their incarceration at one of the UK’s top security prisons, which is also home to several of Britain’s most notorious terrorists.
CNS has contacted Ramoon’s legal team about any challenge he may also be mounting to the transfer and we are awaiting a response.
He deserves Belmarsh at its worst – perhaps if the powers that be here looked at the comments on this article they would see the power of public opinion. However I am uncertain why the british public system should be subjected to this scumbag. His family ought to wash their hands of him….
We are the british public system.
Every man have a right to fight and a right to life.. laws are put in place to protect people. Just how the murder law protected society from them and provided the victims family with a peace of mind that the court did what they had to do in the victims favor, by no means does this EVER,EVERbring back a life BUT the authorities can’t just do what they please when and how they please with no evidence. They must act accordingly and thus there are laws to protect US when they do not. Regardless of the conviction against the person, background and everything else. Stop being so arrogant. Your rants and ill wishes mean nothing in th grander scheme of things. You think the court is going to read the comments section of CNS when this is put forth? Lol. Express yourself yes but some of you all are too over the top. Calm down.
The la+$*%s way to bleed the treasury, they have no sympathy for them or anyone else.
What happened to Sheldon Brown ? Is he laying low or what!
He’s an old man now by the standards of these new young thugs who were inspired by his nasty lawless activities. If they let him out of jail, someone is going to shoot him for revenge.
Therefore I’m in favour of his being let out of jail, with immediate effect.
Lol he will be out shortly
Murderers asking for justice and the privilege of seeing family…
Awwww, 2 murderers are homesick, diddums…..twats; rot over there and never come back; Cayman doesn’t want you.
Want some caramel for your soft serve azz?
What are Human rights ? Why are the Human Rights Commission protecting the criminal human rights , and not the victims human rights too ? Does the victims family have any human rights to not wanting this convicted criminal nowhere near them for in fear for their lives ?
When did we let the AL Sharptons into the Islands? I wonder how the public feels about these questions and the actions of the Human Rights Commission.
I think that this issue should be opened for public discussion .
He cant stay here- he is big time troublemaker in northward- get rid of him. He doesnt deserve any priveledges anyway and his kid deserves better than him. At least she can move on if she doesnt have him holding her back.
Da not true sweetheart!
Rant all you want, Both him and his brother will win their cases an be sent back to Cayman to serve out the rest of their sentences, Remember it’s not what you as the general public feel…it’s what’s Written in LAW, Great Britain is totally different from this Mess of a judicial system here, Not on anyone’s side just stating what I feel are facts!!
If the threat to their safety in Northward is credible CIG has a duty under ECHR Article 2 to move them somewhere safer – that’s the law. Maybe the answer is to transfer them to a jail in Jamaica – it’s a lot closer but after a few days I bet they’d be screaming to go back to Belmarsh.
If you think their judicial system is better than ours…why do you think you ended up with Brexit? Piles of people taking and turing human rights on its head with the most asinine arguments convincing learned minds and leaving the people bewildered.
Justice isn’t about rewarding creativity/cleverness in the courtroom, it is about ensuring a society can continue to function properly and trust the system.
If that’s so then you would respect the British system. It was a fare vote and you lost.
The real answer is that he and his brother are too dangerous to keep in Northward. What one of the guards supposedly told him is meaningless.
Play stupid games win stupid prizes
Going to Northward on visiting day breaks your heart. Seeing all the babies and young children visiting Daddy at the prison is very sad. It sort of normalizes the abnormal as children don’t understand that prison should not be one’s goal in life.
I have been saying visitor ages should be 18 and up, regardless! There have been times when “baby-mothers” use their children to smuggle drugs in for their dead-beat “baby fathers” – I guess this is what “Caymanian culture” actually is.
If they want to see their children, do the right thing. Those men will use any excuse to get contact with the outside world because it makes their stay in NW more bearable – no visitors under 18 years old should be let in to that prison! That is not the environment for a 6 month old or a 12 year old – and the mothers should put their children first and say “no! not bringing our baby to see you that way!”
Wrong, no visitors at all should be allowed. From Canover to Osbourne. Do the crime you do the time.
Send him back to Jamaica along with that bus driver!
How can murderers have any rights, they gave up their rights when they killed someone, that should be in the law for first degree murderers, no rights, what about the dead one and their families rights. murderers should be locked up until the one they killed comes back to life or when their life ends, period.
baby crying to come back home you deserve it want to play bad man stay with bad man prison cayman is just a hotel for you punks
Leave him their! Now ur the prey bobo!
We should see if we can pay Honduras to take them. After the first few come home (so to speak) crime in Cayman will drop significantly.
If the authorities here had evidence their lives were in danger they had a duty under ECHR Article 2 to take measures to separate them from that threat.
I suspect his real problem is that he’s gone from being a big fish in small pond to being a very small fish in a very large ocean and doesn’t like it. Belmarsh is a real world prison full of real world criminals not a holiday camp for wannabe gangbangers like these two and I bet they don’t feel very comfortable there.
That’s so true…they too damn disgusting!!!! They don’t have that soft bed, fancy shoes, standing fan and all that nice stuff that Cayman has to offer. Make them stay right there…maybe they’ll learn a thing or two. Wannabe Gangbangers is correct…
I can’t begin to explain how much this article rubs me wrong, like really…you do the crime you do the darn time and whatever comes along with it. They should want to stay there so that they can really have some kind of bragging right “yea I was in the baddest prison there is…”
This individual has about as much chance of winning his appeal is as I have of becoming the next governor (according to my ordinarily very supportive wife). The lesson for our youth is simply this : don’t murder anyone.
On the other hand, clearly neither you nor your wife is a lawyer.
No, we’re way too honest. How ’bout you, sportsfan?
Every time one lawyer is right, another is wrong. 50% success rate.
On average, sure, but it’s not an even distribution. One lawyer can right 100% of the time and the other wrong – still a 50% average but I know which one I would want representing me.
Which one?
A few things about the CNS report gave me pause for thought. A. He apparently did not give his “consent” to the transfer. Since when did a prisoner ever need to give his “consent” to where he’d serve his sentence? B. How long will he need to serve his sentence within HM prison system? Blimey, like he doesn’t know? C. He was “deported”. I doubt that the transfer of a prisoner from one prison to another within the UK and dependent territories constitutes being deported. D. He didn’t consider himself at risk of harm from others and denied he posed a threat to the public. So this convicted murderer’s assessment is what the court should base its decisions on? That’s so cute.
As for the wining about being separated from family, for crying out loud, maybe he (and his brother) should have, like, thought about that before they murdered someone? This is so utterly pathetic, isn’t it?
people were coming to the prison to kill him?!
someone’s been watching too many movies
Maybe your 7 year old daughter is better off not visiting her daddy in prison.
Yes, like “Duh, I never thought about that before I murdered someone.”
Bring him back and let nature take its course. One less inmate to care for.
Bring them both back – two less to care for.
Leave them both there – two less to care about.
And what of the right to a family life for his victims’ family and friends?
I am not surprised he wants to come back he is probably scared shitless and having a serious case of karma. Most likely Cayman ‘gangsta’ has found out what it’s like to be locked up with real gangsters in a genuinely high security prison. Belmarsh is well known as the prison that hosts the UK’s most dangerous criminals. Of course in the UK prisoners are not generally granted the luxury “high security” prisoners enjoy here. Two one hour visits and one free 5 minute phone call abroad per month is not uncommon.
So often he case with these pathetic “tough guy” Caymanian boy/men : when reality hits they start bawling for their mamas!
Yea, you get to serve your time in s real prison where you are not the bad man or big man around. Now you feel it. say your A## right their . You have now have limited rights you are in prison and a killer.
GOD DECLARED TO NOAH AND THE WORLD. This is how you deal with a MURDERER:
“Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man” ~ Genesis 9:6
Our governments are not following this particular Law of God, and hence we can only bite our teeth at the waste of public monies, and miscarriage of true Justice ?
This is the same bit of the the book that said Noah lived for 900 years. He didn’t. It says the earth was covered entirely by a flood in the last 4000 years. That did not happen. How did all the kangaroos hop all the way to Australia from Mount Ararat, and only Australia, without leaving any trace of their journey. Or the blue iguanas travel to Cayman. If you can explain the specific migration of animals after they left the Ark, then we might start listening to the alleged voices inside a man’s head in the rest of what appears to be a work of fiction.
Never heard of ICE AGE ?!
Like … lots of water ☺
Ice age by definition is a lot of ice not a lot of water. And what about the kangaroos? They just kept swimming until they got to Oz? You may not agree with the OP but you could just try a logical argument.
They got to Austrailia on driftwood which cause the spread of every animal around the world.
He has also declared women have no right to teach or have authority over men.
“I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent.” (1 Timothy 2:12
Our governments are not following this particular law of God. We have women on this God giving Christian loving Island who are teachers, doctors and even politicians. How can this be? GOD DECLARED TO THE WORLD I DO NOT PERMIT WOMEN TO TEACH OR HAVE AUTHORITY.
OPEN YOUR BIBLE AND READ IT PEOPLE.
eeeh? … Paul was meaning, teach or have authority “IN THE CHURCH” …
He was not talking about teaching and authority anywhere else like the home or society.
One of the reasons behind why men were ORDAIN to lead the spiritual flock, is to counter Adams “submission” to Eve that affected the Fall of mankind and brought death into the world. Eve was the first one to be deceived, and Adam knowing better followed the suggestions of his wife – instead of obeying God. So ever since then, in regards to Faith and Doctrine, God has appointed men to reverse this hereditary disgrace in positions of authority.
If you have a problem with that, take it up with God!
But this passage is in no wise saying that women are inferior to men. Because the same Paul taught that we are “all equal.” The same reason why Eve came from man’s side – not his head or his feet. She is equal with Adam.
Women just have a different role to play in this salvation process of mankind. It is just not in position of Church authority! If you don’t like it, then tough! ?
ADVICE: PLEASE KNOW YOUR BIBLE WELL BEFORE YOU CRITICIZE ITS PASSAGES
Did Paul tell you that himself or are you making assumptions?
*Galatians 3:28
✌
You’re ancestral slave masters would be proud of you Unison, you’re a real work of art.
FYI
The twisting of Bible passages by slavemasters of the transatlantic slave trade period, I no wise condone.
As well, I do not condone biblical interpretations that are not research. Before you make a charge, at least research, show us the facts, and then we can go from there ?
Your definition of “facts” is in no way reality.
The Bible also states when Christ came and died for us and fulfilled the old laws. If mankind had lived according to christ’s teaching there would be no need for all the laws but everyone starting living according to their own desires and again mankind had to make laws to keep order. OPEN YOUR BIBLE AND READ IT ALL, not just the part that you think justifies your small little mind,before you try to argue agsinst it.
If only the Bible was the standard of which we base our laws. Our Island would be more peaceful.
Deuteronomy 22:28-29
If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, he shall pay her father fifty shekels[a] of silver. He must marry the young woman, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives.
We are all well aware of the increased sexual altercations, and with these laws, any underaged girls who are raped have an opportunity to a married life in the eyes of the Lord, and her family walks away with profit. It’s all in the good book, just open it once and awhile and read it. GOD BLESS.
Ohhh Unabomber, The Madness doesn’t end when it comes to you, someone commits murder,and the logic is that we should punish him by committing murder, (insert the I am righteous and God has given me permission to kill people who kill people because that is right) Rodrigo Duterte would be your best friend may I suggest the Philippines as a holiday destination. How are you any better than the person who committed the crime in the first place, also since you don’t seem to be able to think for yourself the reason why here in the semi-civilized world we don’t practice capital punishment is because our justice system (just like every justice system in the world) leaves enough room for potential wrongful convictions. If someone is wrongfully convicted and then executed then the state has committed murder in the name of the people and we are all guilty.
This is a portion of an article on wrongful convictions in the UK, will be linked below:
“People think that miscarriages of justice are rare and exceptional,” says Dr Michael Naughton, founder of the UK Innocence Project. “But every single day, people are overturning convictions for criminal offences. Miscarriages of justice are routine, even mundane features of the criminal justice system. They are systemic.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/11075284/When-innocent-men-go-to-jail-miscarriages-of-justice-in-Britain.html
If you think that Cayman’s legal system is so great that we never wrongfully convict anyone then you are as crazy as you sound and present yourself. I’m sure there are people in northward who have never committed a crime and are simply victims of the public trial that we seem to love, any serious crime or trial gets article after article with FB posts and mass messages. This wouldn’t be a problem in a larger jurisdiction but on Cayman where the adult population eligible for jury duty is somewhere around 21,000. Everyone is influenced by the news and what the people around them say and justice can be easily perverted. Bottom line unless we can be one hundred percent sure that every conviction is right without a doubt and with absolutely no chance of someone else being responsible (which with current technology isn’t possible or probable) capital punishment will not and should not be allowed tolerated or accepted.
Since I already know you’re crazy with maybe since your god instructed you to kill all murderers and you believe it verbatim, why haven’t you done as the lord commanded? You are just a hypocrite who talks big while hiding behind the keyboard. Maybe run for office in the next election, your platform can be I’m insane and I’ll kill criminals cause I do as my 2000 year old desert book says without a question. I need a good laugh.
So if some thug killed your beloved mother and there is clear evidence on CCTV camara and/or DNA that he did it, you are telling me that the state shouldn’t follow God’s Law???
You would rather defend the murderer of your beloved and let him live???
Wow ?
Unison, what if your daughter or a loved one was raped, would you consider to marry her to the man who took her virginity without consent? If not, your going against Gods law.
What are you saying ? Like … do you know what is the Talmud ??? I don’t think so. You make no sense …
Basically, the Talmud is a written collection of orally passed-on teachings and explanations of the first 5 books of the Bible, namely, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. What we know as the Torah, or, Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible.
In other words, the Talmud, these written collections from about 200 to 500 hundred years before Jesus Christ was born, explains the meaning of the Torah including your famously misinterpreted verse found in Deuteronomy 22:28-29 about a rape victim.
Apparently, because you have an agenda here. You would rather follow modern day interpreters who outrightly support their FAITH of atheism – that there is no Supreme Being.
Here’s my advice to you, before you start surveying the net to gather your array quotes from the Hebrew Bible … Please save the “GOD BLESS” until you are able to learn and rightfully interpret His Words.
Peace 😉
* Talmud, Ketubot 39a-b
One thing I am sure of is that man is guilty of murder. I get the whole appeals HR stuff, but find a better candidate to defend!
Oh lovely, here we go again with this god bullshit!
The God explanation is the last refuge of someone with no answers or solutions and no credible arguments.
Blimey, where did you copy that from? Okay, smartypants, tell us when time began, how big space is, and who created everything. Thought as much. You ‘ain’t got a clue, have you? Look, sportsfan, keep your smug cakehole (that’s “piehole” for our American readers and Caymanian Compass staff) shut until you have. Thank you.
Either God can do nothing to stop catastrophes, or he doesn’t care to, or doesn’t exist.
God is either impotent, evil, or imagnery.
Take your pick and choose wisely.
S.H
Problem is you’ve decided what God can do, which kind of negates any reference you can make about God. Get it?
I don’t need to know who created everything, nor do I need to know when time began or how large space is. Once you realise that the Universe owes you no answers, the better off you will be. I am not that arrogant to think that I MUST know. I enjoy the process of discovery. What I won’t do though is invent stories or an imaginary friend to make myself feel better.
Friend, seems to me there’s a whole load of stuff you don’t need to know about, which stands in stark contrast to your enjoyment of discovery, surely? Maybe that’s a good thing, I dunno. Certainly makes life easier to get through. But I’m curious as to how, exactly, one can “realise that the universe owes you no answers”. Did you, kinda, ask it? And this “process of discovery” bit brings to mind that (speaking of how big space is) Star Trek line about , you know, “going where no man has gone before”. Interesting stuff. Keep thinking, but lay off the UFO stuff is my best advice.
Belmarsh Prison is no joke. Glad he is there. He has been connected to numerous murders. Finally got his comeuppance.
When you floss scum from your teeth, you dont put it back.
Burn in hell Caymanian thug. Wanna be gansta then be one now
Baffles me how a convicted murderer has legal grounds of appeal to allege infringements on their own human rights.
People tend not to appreciate things until they need them, take a second and think, ignorance is bliss, but I hope you don’t make a habit of it
He stated ” he was told about his transfer only moments before he was placed aboard a London-bound flight and a prison guard informed him it was because his life was in danger’.
If only he had given this same option to his victim, just maybe, that person would have not been killed and he would not be in London.. you made your choice, now you pay the price.. I hope you rest in peace in London and NEVER be returned to Cayman no matter what the cost is to tax payers.
The minute we give up the right for a challenge, we give up democracy. I know that sounds tough, but it’s the same reason we stopped the death penalty..what if there was a mistake, what if the police get it wrong ( and that’s happened worldwide). I am not saying he didn’t do it, but if you or I were wrongly convicted I would want to appeal…
While I’d like these two apologies for human beings to spend the rest of their wretched lives as far away from us as physically possible, you are absolutely correct.The right of appeal is a crucial safeguard for us all.
Had he had the foresight not to kill someone, he would likely not currently be facing this dilemma.
Indeed, but these people seldom, if ever, exercise any foresight. In reality they are probably incapable of doing so. They operate on the primitive human brain instinct level. You recall the onetime deputy British PM John Precott’s very public reaction to that bloke who threw an egg at him? He lamped him. Somehow I couldn’t imagine Tony Blair doing likewise. Same deal with that Canadian PM who took down that protester (a pacifist it turned out!) who was blocking his way.