Bail for jailed attorney

Convicted attorney-at-law Vonda Pile has been offered $200 000 bail on appeal.

After several unsuccessful attempts, Pile who was found guilty of stealing thousands of dollars from her client, was granted bail today by Justices Kaye Goodridge, Francis Belle and Jefferson Cumberbatch in the Court of Appeal. She was represented by Queen’s Counsel Andrew Pilgrim.

On June 5, Pile was found guilty by a 7-2 majority verdict of stealing $191,416.39 (US$96,008.22) from former client Anstey King between April 29, 2009, and October 26, 2010.  On September 5, Justice Pamela Beckles sentenced her to three years in prison.

This morning the appeal judges ruled that given the current delays in the system it would be difficult to say whether a substantial part of Pile’s three-year sentence would not be completed by the time her appeal is heard.

That appeal is scheduled to take place on September 10.

Pile, a 26-year veteran attorney, maintained her innocence throughout the case, even after the guilty verdict and sentence were handed down.

Days after she was found guilty, Pilgrim, who is representing Pile in association with Marlon Gordon, made several unsuccessful bail applications before Chief Justice Sir Marston Gibson.

That all changed today when the matter was called and Pilgrim appealed the decision before the panel of judges. The Crown was represented by Principal Crown Counsel Krystal Delaney.
fernellawedderburn@barbadostoday.bb