Magistrate Graveney Bannister will no longer be presiding over matters involving Pedro Burgess, the accused whom attorney Andrew Pilgrim QC was representing when he clashed with the court.
It was exactly a month ago that the attorney, who was in the Bridgetown Traffic Court, uttered an expletive to the magistrate before storming out of the court after prosecutor Sergeant Vernon Waithe had said the files relating to Burgess were before the Commissioner of Police.
Burgess, 31, of Baycroft New Road, Bridge Road, St Michael, was accused of six charges – three of entering the homes of women with intent to commit theft, and three of entering women’s homes with intent to commit indecent assault. The matters allegedly occurred between November 13, 2017, and March 13, this year. The magistrate had ordered the prosecution to have the files ready by April 27 or the charges would be dismissed.
However, when attorney Kamesha Benjamin appeared for Burgess yesterday morning, Bannister transferred the matters to Court No. 1.
Benjamin had asked for the matters to be stood down for a few minutes, when the magistrate made his decision.
“Are you holding for someone? Because I am not minded to deal with the matter,” he said before transferring the matters for June 7.
Pilgrim gave an apology in open court three days after his outburst, and it was accepted by the magistrate.
Almost two weeks after the senior attorney’s outburst, Magistrate Bannister filed an affidavit, through his lawyer, before the Disciplinary Committee of the Barbados Bar Association for action against Pilgrim.
A source close to the situation told the Weekend Nation yesterday Pilgrim was yet to be served. (RA)
