Car trouble forces accused cop's absence from court
Published:Wednesday | October 20, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter
The policeman who is charged with the murder of 14-year-old schoolgirl Jhaneel Goulbourne, who accused him of sexually molesting her, was not brought to court yesterday.
The court was informed that the prisoner truck broke down at the gate of the Horizon Remand Centre where he is being held.
Police Constable Rushan Hamilton's trial is to begin on March 28 next year.
Hamilton's trial should have commenced yesterday in the Home Circuit Court but Supreme Court judge Kay Beckford was informed that attorney-at-law Valerie Neita-Robertson, one of the lawyers representing him, was unavailable.
Attorney-at-law Peter Champagnie, who is also appearing for Hamilton, said the new trial date was convenient to the defence.
The Crown is alleging that, a few weeks after Goulbourne made a report to the police on October 10, 2008 that she had been sexually assaulted by Hamilton, she went missing.
Hamilton was charged with carnal abuse in October 2008, but in March 2009 he was also charged with the girl's murder.
The body has not been found and there are no eyewitnesses to the murder.
Goulbourne went missing from her gate at Harbour View, St Andrew, in late October 2008 and has not been seen since.
Hamilton is in custody awaiting trial.