R v Abbas Abbass
[2023] EWCA Crim 540
R v Callen Chandler-Jones
6 December 2023
[2023] EWCA Crim 1539
Court of Appeal
A man was given a long prison sentence for repeatedly raping his sick and vulnerable partner while she slept. The judge and the Court of Appeal agreed the sentence was fair because of the serious nature of the crimes and the danger he poses to other women.
Key Facts
- •Callen Chandler-Jones (applicant) was sentenced to an extended sentence of 28 years (20 years custody, 8 years extended licence) for two counts of rape.
- •The rapes were committed against his partner, C1, who was vulnerable due to ill-health (including back surgery and Asperger's) and often heavily medicated.
- •The rapes occurred while C1 was asleep, on at least eleven occasions over 3.5 years.
- •C1 suffered profound and long-lasting emotional and psychological consequences.
- •The applicant pleaded guilty just before the Section 28 hearing.
- •The applicant had previous convictions, some involving offences against women he was in relationships with.
Legal Principles
Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992: Reporting restrictions apply to prevent identification of victims of sexual offences.
Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992, Section 3
Sentencing Guidelines for Rape: Category 1A offences (severe psychological harm, degradation, humiliation, sustained pattern) can warrant sentences of 20 years and above.
Sentencing Guidelines for Rape
Extended sentences are appropriate where the offender presents a real danger to the public and further serious offending needs to be safeguarded against.
Court of Appeal judgment
Outcomes
The appeal against the sentence was refused.
The court found the sentence was not manifestly excessive given the severity of the offences (at least eleven rapes over a lengthy period, abuse of trust, vulnerability of the victim), the applicant's dangerousness, and the need for an extended licence period to protect the public.