Magistrate slams sex assault case hold-up

A magistrate hit out today after a former Northern Ireland Assembly Member facing a sex charge forced his case to be delayed.

As his hearing was set to begin at Belfast Magistrates’ Court, Roger Hutchinson, an ex-member of the Rev Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionists, declared that he wanted to be tried by jury instead.

Hutchinson’s legal team stressed the move was needed because they had just received significant new evidence.

Resident magistrate Mark Hamill called the hold-up “outrageous”.

He added: “It is unfortunate to say the least that at this stage on the start of a three-day contest in the magistrates’ court the defence elect for trial by jury.

“It’s particularly unfortunate from the perspective of the alleged victim of this alleged crime.”

Hutchinson, 51, who sits on Newtownabbey Borough Council, denies indecently assaulting a female staff member at a meeting of the local authority in March last year.

Up to 22 witnesses, including councillors and officers, were summoned to appear at the hearing.

The woman who made the allegation, who has since quit her position, was not seen in court.

But as Hutchinson, a married former church pastor, from Millars Forge, Dundonald, appeared in the dock it emerged that a new statement had been provided.

The case was adjourned briefly while lawyers assessed the development before the accused returned to reveal his desire to go before a jury.

One of his solicitors told the court: “This is a case in which there are likely to be in the region of 15 prosecution witnesses. It involves an allegation of sexual impropriety.

“There are issues which have to be dealt with with particular care in the Crown Court.”

Hutchinson, who strenuously denies the charge, is now an independent councillor. He resigned from the DUP last year after being asked to stand down as a candidate in the November elections to the Stormont Assembly.

Although he contested the electoral battle he failed to retain his seat for East Antrim.

Before putting the case back to be mentioned again in court on September 7, Mr Hamill took another swipe at the delay.

He said: “It’s for the defence to decide which form they proceed with and they should do it at an early stage, not at the beginning of a three-day trial.”