In the wake of a recent upsurge in crime, authorities in St Kitts and Nevis yesterday carried out the federation's first hanging in 10 years.

The execution of Charles Elroy Laplace, convicted in February 2006 for the murder of his wife Diana two years earlier, occurred inside the main prison in Basseterre at 8 a.m.

The order for his hanging was posted on the gate of the jail on Thursday, after the death warrant for the prisoner was issued on December 15.

20 homicides this year

The development follows a recent upsurge in violent crime in the twin-island federation, which has a population of less than 40,000 and has so far recorded over 20 homicides this year.

The Denzil Douglas administration, which is headed into an election year, is anxious for the crime situation to be brought under control here.

Attorney General and Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs Dennis Merchant was due to address Parliament on Friday on the matter of the country's first execution since David Wilson faced the gallows in 1998 for beating a man to death.

The number of persons on death row now stands at 10.