Barbara Gayle, Staff ReporterIT TOOK a lot of persuasion yesterday for Miss Justice Kay Beckford to withdraw the contempt of court proceedings against Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Kathy Pyke.
The judge after pounding her fist on the Bench made it clear that Miss Pyke's behaviour in court on Wednesday amounted to 'plain rudeness'.
On Wednesday, the judge ordered Miss Pyke to return to the Home Circuit Court yesterday, to show cause why she should not be cited for contempt of court. Miss Pyke had refused to abide by a ruling which the judge had made in a murder case and had disobeyed the judge's order not to 'persist'.
After hearing impassioned pleas from Brian Sykes, Senior Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions who was assisted by Paula Llewellyn, Senior Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions and defence lawyer Norma Linton, Q.C., the judge said she would accede to their requests not to call on Miss Pyke to show cause why she should not be cited for contempt of court.
SORRY FOR WHAT HAD HAPPENED
Mr. Sykes told the judge that Miss Pyke, as well as the Director of Public Prosecutions and his staff were sorry for what had happened.
Miss Pyke, in expressing regret to the court, said she 'deeply apologise' for what had happened. She said she did not intend to challenge the authority of the court "and indeed ought not to have acted in the way I did".
In response the judge said she did not consider Miss Pyke's apology as a proper one. The judge told her that if it were not for Mr. Sykes, Miss Llewellyn and Miss Linton, she would have cited her for contempt of court.
The judge warned Miss Pyke to 'tow the line', pointing out that she had the power to send her to jail if she had cited her for contempt of court.
In explaining what had transpired in court, the judge said after she made her ruling, Miss Pyke went on to to say before the jury that she (Miss Pyke) was there for truth and justice as if the court was not for truth and justice. She said Miss Pyke did not obey her when she told her to desist.
"When I say to counsel stop, don't defy me," the judge said. She described Miss Pyke's behaviour as 'out of order and inexcusable'. The judge pointed that she was very upset with what had taken place. She said she took a lot of latitude while presiding in court "but if I make a ruling I expect both sides to abide by my ruling."
"What matter is the dignity of the court," the judge stressed.
Miss Pyke continued to prosecute the murder case before Miss Justice Beckford after the proceedings were withdrawn.
