Latest news with #SolicitorGeneral
The Independent
2 days ago
- The Independent
Man who filmed himself raping woman has ‘unduly lenient' sentence increased
A man who filmed himself raping a vulnerable woman after a night out before claiming she had 'forced' him to commit the offence has had his prison sentence increased after the Court of Appeal ruled it was 'unduly lenient'. Gagandeep Gulati, 20, sent some of the nine videos he took of the attack in Leicester last September to others before telling police that he was the victim in the incident. He was convicted at Leicester Crown Court in March of rape, assault by penetration, sexual assault and sharing or threatening to share an intimate photograph or film, and sentenced to six years' imprisonment in a young offenders institution. Barristers for the Solicitor General, Lucy Rigby, told the Court of Appeal on Thursday that the sentence was 'unduly lenient' and should be increased, while lawyers for Gulati claimed that it was appropriate. Three senior judges ruled that the sentence for the rape should be increased to nine years, while imposing concurrent sentences for the assault by penetration and sexual assault of four years and six months respectively. Lord Justice Popplewell, Mr Justice Bryan and Judge Martin Picton also ruled that the offence of sharing or threatening to share an intimate photograph or film would be quashed as a nullity due to it having been incorrectly tried in a Crown Court, instead treating the filming as an aggravating feature of the rape. Lord Justice Popplewell said that Gulati's motive for taking videos of the attack was 'seeking to give the false impression of consent', which was a 'significant aggravating factor'. He concluded that the original sentence 'was not merely lenient, but unduly so'. The judge said that Gulati, then aged 19, encountered his victim in Leicester city centre on the night of September 23 last year as they both made their way home from nights out. He took the woman, whom Mr Justice Bryan described as 'completely out of it' due to being intoxicated, to a secluded location in the city's Castle Gardens and attacked her. After his arrest, Gulati, then studying business at university in the city, told police: 'She forced me, I did not force her. I am a religious person. I did not do anything wrong.' Lord Justice Popplewell said Gulati told police that his victim forced herself on him, and that he had considered reporting her to the authorities. Gulati also suggested that the videos he took of the incident showed 'he was afraid for his life at the time of the activity', the judge said. After being convicted, the sentencing judge said that Gulati filming the attack was 'nothing more than a cynical and contrived attempt to protect himself' and showed him 'boasting of his predatory sexual prowess'. Dan Bishop, for the Solicitor General, told the hearing on Thursday that Gulati's crimes were 'serious sexual offences' against 'a highly vulnerable victim … who was unable to consent'. He said that the sentence was 'not just a lenient sentence, but was one that was unduly lenient'. Katya Saudek, for Gulati, said his future opportunities had been 'completely destroyed by his own opportunistic actions'. She said: 'I can't say it was not a generous sentence, I can't say it was not lenient, but in my submission not unduly lenient.' Gulati, who appeared at the hearing via video link from HMP Swinfen Hall in Staffordshire, showed no immediate reaction as his sentence was increased. Ms Rigby said: 'Gagandeep Gulati's rape of a vulnerable young woman before sharing his awful crimes with other people was sickening. 'I welcome the court's decision to increase his sentence following my intervention.'
BBC News
2 days ago
- BBC News
Bedworth paedophile Joshua Wilson's jail term extended
A man who posed as a young boy to ask a nine-year-old girl to send nude pictures has had his jail term Wilson, 27, of Alice Close, Bedworth, pretended to be a 12-year-old boy when he contacted the girl on her phone, in who pleaded guilty to a series of offences, was initially jailed for four years, after a hearing at Warwick Crown Court on 7 after Solicitor General Lucy Rigby referred his case to the Court of Appeal, saying the jail term was too lenient, Wilson's sentence was increased to five years and 10 months. The court heard Wilson had contacted two children on social media, between May and September requested nude images and sent sexually-explicit images of himself to one of them. Family spotted messages Then in October 2024, following his arrest and while on bail, he contacted the girl, aged nine, on a social media site and asked her to send was reported by the girl's family, after they had spotted the messages on her was found to have numerous indecent images of children and had uploaded some on to an instant messaging service. Welcoming the increased sentence, Rigby said: "Joshua Wilson's crimes were sickening. He sought to befriend and sexually exploit vulnerable children."Wilson had pleaded guilty to attempting to cause a child to look at an image of sexual activity, causing or inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity, two counts of engaging in sexual communications with a child and three counts of making an indecent image of children. Follow BBC Coventry & Warwickshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Global News
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Global News
Ombudsman to investigate Ontario jail where inmates were stripped to boxers, had wrists tied
The Ontario ombudsman is launching an investigation into the treatment of inmates at a provincially run jail after an avalanche of complaints from the public and prisoners. The backlash stems from an incident in which inmates were forced to strip down to their underwear and sit, wrists tied, facing a wall. On Monday, Ombudsman Paul Dubé's office said he would be probing the Ministry of the Solicitor General's response to the incident that occurred at Maplehurst Correctional Complex back in December 2023. The facility houses around 1,500 inmates and is rated as medium and maximum security. The incident in question involved a crisis intervention team of correctional officers in part of the Maplehurst jail. During the event, the ombudsman said inmates were stripped down to their boxer shorts and forced to sit on the floor facing the wall, with their wrists zip-tied together. Story continues below advertisement Earlier this year, the Toronto Star released security footage relating to the event, including correctional officers dressed in tactical gear patrolling as inmates sat on the floor. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The ombudsman's office said it had received 60 complaints about the incident, including from some directly involved. They also said several inmates have had their sentences reduced because of the incident. 'Several inmates and members of the public have contacted us to express concerns about the treatment of inmates by the ICIT over two days in December 2023,' Dubé said in a statement. 'The Ministry has already investigated the incident. What my investigation will cover is the steps the Ministry took as a result, and what it is doing to make sure something like this does not happen again.' Global News contacted the Solicitor General's office for comment but did not immediately receive a response. The ombudsman's office said his investigation will look at the government's response and measures that can be put in place to avoid it happening in the future. It will not probe the conduct of individual correctional officers.
CTV News
09-06-2025
- CTV News
Windsor-Essex man can't own animals, convicted under PAWS Act
A Windsor-Essex man has been convicted of an offense under the Provincial Animal Welfare Services (PAWS) Act. According to the Solicitor General's office, on April 28, Christopher Bennet was found guilty of failing to meet standards of care to an animal, contrary to section 13(1) under the act. The man was given a suspended sentence. He is permanently not allowed to own, have custody of, care for, or live with any animals. If you think any animal is in distress or being abused, you are urged to call 1-833-926-4625 and report it.
BBC News
06-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
West Midlands scheme to give sexual offences victims right to case reviews
Victims of rape and serious sexual assaults in the West Midlands are to get the right to have their cases reviewed if charges are the current system, criminal cases can be stopped if a prosecutor decides there is not a realistic prospect of a pilot scheme launched this week in the region will allow victims to challenge that decision by asking a different prosecutor to review the Attorney General's Office said a criminal case would then proceed if that second prosecutor believed there was enough evidence. The pilot, which is part of the government's pledge to halve violence against women and girls, will initially run for six months, with each case evaluated individually before a decision is later taken on the future of the government said it had recognised the need to progress reviews in a way that was also fair to is hoped the project will help improve confidence in the justice system."This government is treating violence against women and girls with the seriousness it deserves," Solicitor General Lucy Rigby said."There is much more to do, but this is a further step towards the criminal justice system that victims deserve, and one which will ultimately make Britain's streets safer." 'Profoundly failed' Jade Blue McCrossen-Nethercott campaigned for a change after the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) dropped her case by offering no evidence in court.A review afterwards found the prosecution should have gone ahead, but it could not be reinstated."I was profoundly failed and let down by how my case was handled, but I've since seen people within the CPS who are genuinely working to make it better," she said."I'm hugely excited about what this pilot could mean for victims, and I hope it proves successful enough to be rolled out across the country." Siobhan Blake, CPS lead for rape and chief crown prosecutor in the West Midlands, said the prospect of cases being stopped could be devastating for requests for a review can currently be made, if the case has already been stopped in court there is nothing that can be done to reactivate it."This pilot offers greater reassurance for victims," Ms Blake said."It means that they will be alerted to the prospect of their case being stopped earlier, so that they can ask for a review by a different prosecutor."If the original decision is reversed then the case will continue, but even if it can't, we hope that victims will have more confidence in the process and the earlier scrutiny of our decision making."The CPS said the pilot could be rolled out nationwide if it was successful in the West Midlands. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
