CCTV footage stalls case of woman set on fire

WESTERN BUREAU:

Nichala Facey, the St James man facing a murder charge arising from the death of 74-year-old Evelyn Blair, who was doused with a flammable liquid and set on fire, was remanded in custody when he appeared in the St James Parish Court yesterday.

The case against Facey was rescheduled by presiding judge Sandria Wong-Small until October 17, which is expected to give the prosecution time to receive CCTV footage and several other outstanding documents.

When the case was mentioned yesterday, the prosecution requested more time to complete its file, telling the court that the attorneys were awaiting CCTV footage, a post-mortem report and an identification parade statement.

In response to the request, Facey’s lawyer, attorney Shelly-Ann Hyman, said that while she did not object to the matter being rescheduled, she would need to see the CCTV footage.

“We have no difficulty with the request for more time, but I would like to see the footage,” Hyman told Wong-Small.

Defendant remanded

Wong-Small subsequently ordered Facey to be remanded until October 17, and also bound over the investigating officer to complete the file.

It is alleged that approximately 3 a.m. on April 25, Blair was in her one-bedroom house at Lima district in St James, when Facey broke in and tried to rape her. Blair managed to chase him off with a machete.

Later that morning, approximately 6:30, Blair was walking along the road when Facey approached her and doused her with a flammable liquid before setting her ablaze. Blair sustained burns over 98 per cent of her body and was rushed to the Cornwall Regional Hospital, where she died two days later.

Facey subsequently turned himself over to the police on June 4, and was positively identified during an identification parade on June 8.

He was charged following a question-and-answer session on June 9.