COVID-19 Breaches: Revised Process to Ensure Cases in Court Promptly

Tue, 2021-03-30

Assistant Commissioner of Police Martin Weekes – “The Bermuda Police Service (BPS) has recently undertaken a review of persons addressed for COVID regulation breaches following delays in cases appearing before the courts.

A revised process has now been introduced by the BPS directly supervised by a Senior Officer to ensure that files presented to the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP) contain all evidence to address potential not guilty or guilty pleas by defendants.

The BPS and the office of the DPP are working together to process all of the files and place persons before the courts as appropriate. Accordingly, a number of persons will appear in court starting next week.”

A BPS spokesperson added:

“The new COVID regulations created a high volume of cases to be managed by the BPS before being ready to be transferred to the office of the DPP. A recent review will ensure the expeditious process of these matters following initial procedural issues that have since been corrected.”