Christopher Thomas, Star Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

The much-anticipated preliminary examination of Richard Ewen for the 2009 murder of British consul John Terry failed to begin in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court for a fourth consecutive time on Monday.

Ewen was revealed to still be in police custody at the Central Police Station in Kingston on unrelated charges, forcing the murder matter to be put off for preliminary hearing on March 8.

In court, Ewen's defence attorney Trevor Ho Lyn complained that no effort was made to transport the defendant from Kingston in time for his court appearance in Montego Bay, despite an order for this being made on the last court date of September 17.

"It is a new year, but the matter of Richard Ewen has not been brought forward and he is not here," Ho Lyn told Resident Magistrate (RM) Sandria Wong-Small.

"Why is Mr Ewen not here?" asked RM Wong-Small.

"He is still in police custody in the Corporate Area. I understand that his matter there is for trial on January 23. I am not even sure it is a trial date, (and) he has always been at the Central Police Station," said Ho Lyn.

strangled

On September 10, 2009, John Terry was found dead at his home in Mount Carey, St James, as a result of being strangled. At that time Ewen, who hails from Bull Bay in St Andrew and reportedly knew the consul, was employed as a security guard in Montego Bay.

"This is the fourth time Mr Ewen has not been brought here; it seems that the only way there is going to be a change is if I do it myself," Wong-Small remarked with disapproval. "It is quite disappointing to me to hear that Mr Ewen has not been brought here."

The magistrate subsequently set a new preliminary examination date for March 8, at which time at least eight out of 20 prosecution witnesses are expected to give testimony.