Schizophrenic Brett Kean, who suffers from a range of brain disorders and damage, did not react as the Royal Court’s Superior Number, which convenes for the most serious cases, imposed his sentence. He had, throughout the sentencing yesterday, attempted to interrupt the court.
The 41-year-old, the court was told, showed no remorse for his actions and maintained his innocence – even after a jury found him unanimously guilty of one count of rape and two counts of indecent assault earlier this year. It was heard that immediately after the attack, Kean told the woman, who had said no ‘upwards of 50 times’ as he raped and sexually assaulted her, that ‘all girls say stop but don’t mean it. You only stop if they are screaming’.
Kean was also placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for a minimum of ten years.
Such was the impact of the rape and sexual assaults on the victim, the court heard she suffers from ‘flashbacks, nightmares and anxiety’ – symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and feelings that the ‘the world and herself’ are not real.
Solicitor General Mark Temple, prosecuting, said the symptoms were affecting her current relationship and she was suffering from ‘severe psychological harm’.
Outlining the case, Mr Temple said Kean and his victim had had consensual sex a week before the offences took place after they met for the first time in a bar.
However, it was heard that for the next week Kean bombarded the victim with texts and calls, some of which the victim replied to. During the trial it emerged that three in-person conversations between the victim and Kean were secretly recorded on her phone in the week leading up to the offences.
On the night of the rape, Kean turned up at the victim’s hotel accommodation at 1.20am.
‘The complainant met him at the front door and an argument ensued wherein the complainant pleaded with the defendant to remove her number from his phone.
‘He indicated that he would not contemplate deleting the complainant’s number unless and until he was invited up to her room.’
Mr Temple added: ‘Regrettably the complainant acceded to this request and they went to her room.’
The offences took place in 2016 but, the court was told, proceedings were delayed in April 2017 after Kean was moved to a secure unit in the UK ‘because of a marked deterioration in his mental health’.
The time Kean has spent on remand will be deducted from his sentence.
Advocate Francesca Pinel, defending, called for the court to impose a shorter prison term of six years for her client, who has spent various stints at mental-health facilities in Jersey and the UK since 2000.
She said her client’s mental-health issues were a major factor behind his offending.
Deputy Bailiff Tim Le Cocq, presiding, said the court would give its reasons for sentencing at a later date.
Jurats Jerry Ramsden, Rozanne Thomas, Robert Christensen, Joanne Averty and Paul Nicolle were sitting.
