Crown pushing to get cases heard

The Crown’s chief prosecutor signalled increasing intolerance with delays and adjournments, as she declared her department’s is moving full steam ahead to get cases tried before the High Court.

Director of Public Prosecutions Donna Babb-Agard, QC, issued the warning to defence barristers yesterday in the No. 2 Supreme Court when a case, which was down for trial on the court’s calendar, and in which she and one of her juniors are the prosecutors, was adjourned until November 25.

Justice Randall Worrell granted the adjournment after the defence signalled that it was not in a position to start the case.

The DPP said that in conversation with the defence counsel, she was informed of other plans as that side had been told that the court was currently engaged in another trial.

She said: “However, going forward I would like all defence lawyers to understand that we now have five working courts and therefore if one particular court is not available to work I am picking my bundles up and go on to the next court that’s available.

“So we won’t have that to rely on anymore.

“Any matters set down, once a court is available and a judge is available we will proceed. So just going forward, I [am] just taking this opportunity to inform defence counsels of that.”