Sheffield man jailed for longer for disability hate crime after Solicitor General’s action
Shakaiyah Swindells, who was part of a Sheffield trio who assaulted and imprisoned a vulnerable victim has had his sentence increased
Solicitor General Robert Buckland QC MP
A Sheffield man who seriously assaulted and imprisoned a vulnerable victim has had his sentence increased after the Solicitor General, Robert Buckland QC MP, appealed it for being too low.
Shakaiyah Swindells (aged 17 at the time) was involved in a sustained campaign of abuse and violence towards a 40 year old vulnerable victim. Swindells was part of a trio of abusers, which included Matthew Ward and Marcus Cullumbine. Ward and Cullumbine had their sentences increased at the beginning of March after the Solicitor appealed them for being too low.
Swindells was the last of the 3 abusers to move into the victim’s home. While he was living there, the victim was assaulted for a second time by Ward. The 3 offenders later laughed about the attack, which resulted because the victim had not paid the Sky TV subscription on time.
The most serious of the attacks on the victim started when he was locked in a cupboard again – this time the offenders put bolts on the outside of the cupboard to stop him getting out. He was later punched in the face, kicked in the head, attacked with a Stanley knife and burnt with various weapons. The victim was then locked in the cupboard overnight. He managed to escape the next day after claiming he had to collect a prescription and not doing so would raise suspicions. The offenders let him leave to go to the chemist but threated to hurt his brother if he reported the attacks. The chemist called the emergency services who found that the victim had serious wounds including broken ribs and extensive burns.
Swindells was originally sentenced to 7 years. Today, after the Solicitor General’s action, the Court of Appeal increased his sentence to 9 years.
Speaking after the hearing, the Solicitor General, Robert Buckland QC MP, said:
By becoming involved in Ward and Cullumbine’s campaign of abuse after it had started, Swindells had the chance to stop it. Instead he joined the attacks and inflicted untold damage on a vulnerable member of the community
I am pleased that the Court of Appeal has increased Swindells’ sentence today. I hope that the fact that all three of the abusers’ sentences have now been increased sends the message that this kind of hate crime will be severely punished.