Judge urges balance amid court delays

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High Court judge has warned that persistent delays in cases, caused by defence attorneys being tied up in murder trials, are undermining timely access to justice for both accused persons and complainants.

Justice Anthony Blackman said: “While other matters are given priority, I am of the view that justice be extended to all concerned. When you are going to take certain matters out of the courts’ hand for other matters to be tried – and this is where we are – a decision must be made by someone. We cannot keep this situation going for much longer. If we are going to try all the murders, well try all the murders, but what is going to happen to those persons who come before the court looking for justice? What is going to happen to those people?” 

He made the comments after Principal State Counsel Joyann Catwell spoke on the delays in getting a 2011 burglary matter to trial.

Cindy Jamiliah Horton of Belmont Road, St Michael; Kevin Anthony Evelyn of Gall Hill, St John; and Nicholas Andre Harewood of Glebe Land, St John have denied that between March 22 and 23, 2011, having entered the dwelling house of Roxanne Staglon-Patterson as trespassers, they stole one $300 safe, two bracelets valued at $12 600, US$20 000 (BDS$39 599.60), $3 000, and bottles of liquor, totalling BDS$61 179.60, belonging to Staglon-Patterson.

When the case was called, the No. 3A Supreme Court was told that one of the defence attorneys was already engaged in a firearm case, while another lawyer was set to begin a murder trial later this week. 

Going through the history of the case since 2024, Catwell outlined that several of the adjournments since the case had reached the High Court had been due to the unavailability of the accused’s attorneys, as they were involved in other trials.

The state counsel said: “This case is as old as Methusaleh, but it has a history. There have been times when the state has indicated that it was ready to proceed with trial….These dates extend extensively on different dates on my file of attorneys not being here. All I can do is put this on the record that the State has always been ready on all of the dates that this was called.”

Noting that the case had first come before him in February 2025 and had been called on numerous occasions, Justice Blackman stressed, “There will come a time when this matter will have to proceed.”

The case was adjourned to June 15 for trial.

(JB)