By Rasbert Turner, STAR Writer

Spanish Town

The high number of sexual offences has not gone unnoticed by the judiciary during the opening of the Easter Session of the St. Catherine Circuit Court.

High Court Judge Justice Courtney Daye made the observation on Wednesday saying that of the 21 cases on the roster for this session, 13 are sexual offences such as rape, carnal abuse, incest, and buggery. The other eight are murder.

He said that despite efforts to keep the roster at a minimum, sexual offences continued to rise and that it seemed be a permanent problem. He implored everyone to do all that was possible to bring the monster of sexual offences under control.

Jury excuses

Another concern the justice had was that persons were trying to excuse themselves from jury duty on the grounds of medical condition, even when there was no medical certificate to support their complaints.

He said that of the more than 50 jurors selected, 21 have written applications seeking to be excused from performing their duty as juror.

He added that when persons performed jury duty they were participating in the justice system. As a result, there was no need to think it was a burden.

"While there are several applications to be considered and having checked and said all these things to you, then think it not strange if your application is not considered for the excuse you seek," he said.

Among the cases slated to be tried is that of Donald Gallimore of Gravel Heights in St. Catherine, who was charged with the murder of truck driver Newton Telfers. Telfers was stabbed to death after Gallimore was allegedly caught with Telfers' girlfriend in the Gravel Heights area.

The judge and the Director of the Public Prosecutions said they hoped the roster would be finished by the end of the circuit.