No guilty pleas at the opening of the High Court criminal session

During the commencement of the September Session of the High Court Criminal Division sitting, three individuals who appeared before the newly appointed Resident Judge, His Lordship Justice Colin Williams, all entered pleas of not guilty to the indictment brought against them.

Among those who pleaded not guilty was a St. Joseph man charged with assault to prevent lawful apprehension.
According to the indictment filed by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), it is alleged that on October 17, 2016, at St. Joseph, Huroy Vidal, did assault acting Corporal of Police Naford Joseph with intent to prevent lawful apprehension by driving a motor vehicle towards the police officer.

Justice Williams granted the continuation of the accused bail in the sum of $10,000.00 with certain conditions attached. Vidal who is represented by attorney-at-law Zena Moore Dyer will return to Court on September 29, 2023, for case management.

Meanwhile, Rickie Joseph Harry charged with Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH) and Unlawful Wounding also pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him. The indictment states that on May 7, 2020, at Salisbury, Harry unlawfully and maliciously wounded Jimmy Underwood with intent to cause him GBH.

Defense Counsel Darius Jones who represents the accused man made an application to the Court for the continuation of his client’s bail which was granted. Harry’s matter was adjourned to October 2, 2023, for case management.
The Court also granted the continuation of bail for a man from the northeast who pleaded not guilty to three counts of sex-related offenses.

The accused man is indicted on charges of Unlawful Sexual Intercourse, Unlawful Sexual Connection, and Indecent Assault of a minor girl aged 14 years. Arraignment is set to continue on September 22, 2023, with three other individuals who are indicted on charges of GBH and theft. The September Session of the High Court Criminal Division sitting proceeded under the guidance of Justice Williams. His Lordship who served as a High Court Judge in Antigua and Barbuda for just over two years, was appointed to the Commonwealth of Dominica to serve as the head of the country’s criminal division.

His appointment comes as a response to the need for a permanent criminal Judge in Dominica, following the retirement of Justice Richard Floyd in April 2023, due to health reasons.

Subsequent to Justice Floyd’s retirement, Justice Thomas W.R. Astaphan served in this position for three and a  half months which came to an end on July 21, 2023, at the close of the criminal assizes for the High Court. Justice Williams was the former Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in St. Vincent and the Grenadines from 2003 until his departure in 2018 to take up a post as High Court Judge in Belize.

Thereafter, he was appointed to the position of High Court Judge in Antigua and Barbuda during which time he adjudicated over a number of high-profile cases including the Mikhail Gomes trial, the Bruce Greenaway matter, the Linsome Boyd murder case, former ABLP minister Michael Browne’s serious crime case, and the just-concluded murder case of Kenworth Charles.

He was also the Judge in charge of hearing the corruption scandal case involving former UPP ministers Harold Lovell, Wilmoth Daniel, and Dr Jacqui Quinn.