Appeal court to consider catalogue of cases

(CNS): The Cayman Islands Court of Appeal winter session began in the Grand Court this week and the three-judge panel will consider a catalogue of both civil and criminal cases over the next three weeks. From the West Bay Road case to the WestStar robbery, the judges will be hearing appeals against decisions made in the Cayman Islands Grand Court until 21 November. As well as hearing the appeals, the judges have set cases for next spring and are also expected to deliver judgments, including the long-awaited decision in the crown’s appeal against the acquittal of Devon Anglin for the murder of4-year-old Jeremiah Barnes.

Following a day of case management on Monday, the judges heard their first case Tuesday morning, when Shane Bodden appealed his conviction and sentence. Bodden was jailed for four years for possession of an imitation firearm and shooting at a West Bay man following an argument over a hat. The appeal court panel said a decision on the case would be delivered later in the session.

In the afternoon the judges began hearing two separate appeals simultaneously from two convicted sex offenders, as the judges had noted similarities in the cases. Both men, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had pleaded guilty to defilement but were appealing what they said were excessive sentences. That case continues Thursday.

Wednesday’s session is expected to start at 10am with the appeal by four ladies over the West Bay Road closure. They will be arguing that the judge in their case, Justice Alex Henderson, was wrong to rule their suit was out of time. The women are seeking a new trial in their battle to prevent the continued closure of more of the West Bay Road and to overturn the government’s decision to close a stretch of the West Bay Road and give it to Dart as part of a development deal. 

The appeal court president, Sir John Chadwick, is joined this session by Elliott Mottley and Sir Bernard Rix.