As he woke up in prison this morning, one of the things that must have crossed the mind of rapist Filipe Burton is how long he is likely to spend behind bars.

The Royal Court’s view was unequivocal: life, with no minimum sentence recommended. Left to the Guernsey judicial authorities, the 19-year-old would die inside before being released.

However, because Burton, who liked to target lone, vulnerable women, will serve his sentence in the UK, there is a large element of uncertainty over how long he will actually serve because it seems an English court will have to decide that.

And as things stand, the average sentence there is just eight years, far, far less than that considered adequate by the Royal Court.

Leaving that aside, however, it is gratifying that the presiding judge said that the court here had to put the protection of the public ahead of the interests of the defendant.

For a long while, islanders have felt that the views of victims are not adequately reflected in the punishments handed down.

Yes, judges here will impose tough penalties – certainly by UK standards – but that tends to be for drug offences or irresponsible behaviour, such as taking people off the road for using a mobile phone while driving.

While that is not to be critical of the courts, there is a public sense that real victims, perhaps such as those subject to child sex abuse, and the harm they have endured does not weigh sufficiently in influencing sentencing.

Thursday’s judgement on Burton, however, shows that is not the case, certainly today.

Where individuals chose to prey on single women going home alone and use violence to overpower them, then the courts here will go for unlimited jail sentences and islanders will applaud that.

Guernsey prides itself on being a safe society and people are entitled to make their way around without being attacked or being viewed as potential prey by deeply unpleasant individuals such as Burton.

The terror he inspired in his victims was truly dreadful – and lasting.

He deserves to pay the full penalty for that.