A former Sark resident lost his recent appeal where he was trying to reduce his prison sentence for multiple child sexual offences.
Benjamin Solowan pleaded guilty to 12 counts of sexual offences involving children, including the intended sexual activity rape of a child under 13, after he was arrested in Sark on 16 December 2024.
The 40-year-old was also found to have indecent images of children and there was evidence of him attempting to meet individuals he believed were minors – including booking flights to meet an individual he had been talking to online who claimed to be a 14-year-old girl.
Solowan was jailed for 12 years by Guernsey’s Royal Court in June 2025.
Later that year the former Sark resident was “granted leave to appeal” by the Bailiff of Guernsey Sir Richard McMahon.
The court agreed there was a legitimate argument that his sentence of 10 years for the first six counts he faced was “excessive”.
However, the Court of Appeal has now decided, after hearing from both the prosecution and defence, that the prison sentence is not excessive when considering his lack of remorse.
At a hearing in February, Solowan’s defence advocate told the Court of Appeal how he was ashamed and embarrassed by his actions.
The Court said that does not mean he is remorseful for what he has done.
“Indeed, the asserted remorse in this case does not sit easily with the repeated claims made by the Appellant that he is not sexually attracted to children,” reads the judgment.
“Reliance is placed upon the Appellant’s expressions of shame and embarrassment as evidencing remorse. However, these cannot be treated as equivalent to expressions of remorse. Remorse involves a truthful recognition of wrongdoing and contrition for that conduct. In our judgment, this Appellant has shown little to suggest he is genuinely remorseful.”
In conclusion the judgment reads: “…we are not persuaded that the overall sentence was, in any sense, excessive and no issue of principle arises.
“The court was confronted with what it considered to be ‘real evil’. There was, in truth, very little to say in the favour of the Appellant, other than his guilty pleas.
“His shame, embarrassment and wish to receive treatment do not justify, let alone require, any downward adjustment in the sentence of 12 years’ imprisonment or the 5 year extended sentence licence.”
