Grime MC Solo 45’s prison sentence has been increased to 30 years

WARNING: This article includes accounts of sexual assault and may be distressing for some readers. Resources for support are listed at the end of this article

Grime MC Solo 45’s prison term has been extended to 30 years on appeal.

Last March the rapper, real name Andy Anokye, was found guilty of four charges of rape and holding women against their will and in July he was jailed for 24 years, additionally serving five years on license.

His sentence was referred to the Court of Appeal by the Attorney General’s Office under the Unduly Lenient Sentencing scheme, and the Court of Appeal ruled his sentence should be increased to 30 years with a license extension of five years.

Lady Justice Macur, who presided with two other judges, said the original sentence of 24 years did not reflect the fact Anoyke committed multiple offences of rape against four individual victims over a two year period.

In total he was found guilty of 21 rapes, five counts of false imprisonment, two counts of assault by penetration and two of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

During the trial jurors were told that Anoyke tortured women by water-boarding, interrogating, assaulting and raping them, and derived sexual pleasure from this. His defence claimed this was a consensual role play game called "Catch me, Rape me".

A bid from Anokye to appeal the length of his original sentence was refused.

Solicitor general Michael Ellis said: "Anokye's crimes were truly shocking.

"The Court of Appeal's decision to increase his sentence recognises the severity of the abuse he inflicted upon his victims and the danger he poses to the public."

[via: BBC]

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