Men Gets 12 Months’ Imprisonment For Overstaying In Cayman For 6.5 Years. Court Hears How He Had Three Marriages & His Current Wife Created A Company To Give The Appearance He Was Legitimately Working
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By Alric Lindsay
Today, June 16, 2025, Magistrate Gunn sentenced Perry O’neal Davis to 12 months imprisonment for overstaying in the Cayman Islands for six and a half years, from December 2018 to date. His case is peculiar, given that he reportedly married three times and, at some point, held a Residency and Employment Rights Certificate (RERC), which was eventually revoked. After his RERC was revoked, it appears that Davis never regularised his situation, leading to today’s proceedings.
Background and sentencing
Explaining the background, Crown Counsel from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions said that Davis had overstayed since December 13, 2018.
Before this, Davis reportedly had a work permit with Island Electronics in 2017, but that was “cancelled after a short period of time.”
In addition, he reportedly worked for a mobile mechanic business.
His final employment ended on December 13, 2018.
Representing Davis, Defence Counsel John Furniss noted that when Davis was interviewed, he made full admissions about overstaying since 2018. At the time, he was reportedly living in Gun Bay, East End.
According to Defence Counsel, Davis said, “I then got married but [struggled] to get the money to sort things out.”
Defence Counsel added that Davis extended his apologies to the immigration authorities.
Defence Counsel acknowledged that, in considering the punishment for Davis, the Summary Court may consider the case of Dennis Augustus Ramsay, “A Jamaican man who overstayed in Cayman for 10 years and tried to leave the jurisdiction on a murdered man’s passport,” according to a November 9, 2022 article in the Cayman Compass by Andrel Harris. Ramsay was sentenced to two years in prison at the time.
Notwithstanding the sentence in the Ramsay case, Defence Counsel asked Magistrate Gunn to differentiate Davis’ case from the Ramsay case because the conduct of the two men was different during the period of overstaying.
After hearing from DPP Crown Counsel and Defence Counsel, Magistrate Gunn said it was clear from the circumstances that Davis knew that he required authorisation to remain in the Cayman Islands.
Magistrate Gunn observed the following:
* In 2018, Davis was married to his second wife but did not apply for an RERC at that time.
* Davis divorced his second wife and married his third wife, but still did not obtain a work permit or apply for an RERC
* Years passed during which Davis could have regularised his status
Magistrate Gunn continued:
You may have had financial difficulties, but then you should have taken that up with WORC and not simply disregarded and hoped.
The offence itself is aggravated by the fact that you were working immediately during this period of overstaying through a company that your wife had set up to give your work a legitimate appearance.
Magistrate Gunn concluded with a sentence as follows:
| Description | Sentence |
| Starting point | 18 months |
| Less Early Guilty Plea (one third of sentence) | (6) months |
| Total | 12 months |
Davis has the right to appeal within seven days.
Note to readers
For persons who overstay in the Cayman Islands, the Summary Court often uses the case of Dennis Augustus Ramsay as a guide for sentencing. A summary of this case can be found in the link below:
