Bermuda rugby star Jonathan Cassidy and two others are set to face the wrath of a Supreme Court judge for failing to show up for jury duty yesterday, allegedly without permission.

Cassidy, who is in Chile for the World Rugby Sevens tournament, was one of three people who didn't show up for the jury pool for the trial of Gernell Leroy Darrell, who is accused of murdering homeless man George Kelly last May.

The trial was delayed briefly because the pool of jurors was three short, with only 33 out of 36 who were summoned, appearing.

Assistant Justice Charles-Etta Simmons told the court officer: "I would like you to find out where these people are and I will deal with them according to the law."

Under the Jury Act, a person summoned for jury duty who fails to show, can be fined up to $200 and jailed for up to three months unless they can show a plausible excuse, such as sickness, for not attending.

Director of Public Prosecutions Khamisi Tokunbo told the judge he was not aware of any of the 36 jurors being excused from duty.

He confirmed again to The Royal Gazette at 4.30 p.m. that he had not been made aware that any of the three jurors had been given permission to be absent.

The Supreme Court Registrar did not return calls yesterday to find out if any of the jurors had been excused.

Mrs. Justice Simmons said that although the law stated three reserve jurors would have to be called, the court had complied with the law because all 36 had been summonsed.

The other jurors whose names were called and who did not show, were Elwood Lambert and Debra Matthew.