Man appears in court accused of killing woman on 26th birthday

A 23-year-old general worker appeared before Chief Magistrate Ian Weekes on Monday accused of killing Joel Hope on her 26th birthday.

Xavier Anthony Haynes, of St Austell Lane, Pinelands, St Michael, was not required to enter a plea on the indictable charge of murdering the mother of four on February 7.

She died in a stabbing incident at the Pine Basin, The Pine, St Michael, in which other people were also attacked.

Haynes is also facing a charge of wounding Henderson Gill on the same date with the intent to maim, disfigure or disable him or to cause some serious bodily harm to him.

Though bail cannot be granted on the murder charge as the matter can only be heard by a judge and jury in the High Court, Sergeant Randolph Boyce objected to bail on the wounding offence.

The prosecutor pointed to the seriousness and nature of the offence, telling the Chief Magistrate that Gill had received head injuries in an “unprovoked” attack. 

Among the prosecution’s other grounds for objection were the strength of the evidence against Haynes and the need to protect society from him.

Haynes is represented by attorneys Michael Lashley KC and his juniors, Ken Mason, Simon Clarke, Sade Harris, and Zudie Payne.

In his submissions to the court, Lashley argued that the prosecutor had not “buttressed” his ground of protecting society on any basis, as their client had no previous convictions, had a fixed place of abode and was employed. 

The defence attorney pointed out that all matters that came before the court were serious and the prosecution should not ground its objection on that ground, nor on the strength of the evidence as there was no pretrial disclosure at this stage.

“So, this ground does not hold any water at all. I ask that the accused be granted bail on this offence. I know he is being held for the murder matter . . . but normally with this charge [persons] have been granted bail,” Lashley submitted as he urged the court to have Haynes assessed by a psychiatrist while on remand.

The bail application on the wounding charge was denied.

“I will resist your application today,” Chief Magistrate Weekes said and added that it was the norm for inmates to be assessed at Dodds on admittance.

Haynes was remanded to reappear before the Court on March 27.