Jamaican hijacker gets 82 years in jail, will serve 20

Jamaica's Western Regional Gun Court has sentenced 22-year-old Stephen Fray to a total of 83 years in prison. However he will only serve a maximum of 20 years as the sentences are to run concurrently.

Fray’s attorney, George Thomas, has indicated that he will appeal the sentencing. Thomas had argued in court that his client did not know what he was doing when he tried to hijack the plane and was mentally unfit to stand trial.

Fray attempted to hijack a CanJet flight at the Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay, earlier this year.

He was armed with a .38-caliber revolver when he forced his way aboard the CanJet plane. He eventually released the passengers unharmed and was later overpowered by a Canadian-trained Jamaican counter-terrorism squad. The standoff last eight hours.

Last month the court found Fray guilty on eight of ten charges leveled against him.

The charges included:

• illegal possession of a firearm
• shooting with intent
• robbery with aggravation
• assault at common law
• breaches of the Airport Act

Read background stories on the hijacking