Friends and colleagues of Principal Crown counsel Dorien Taylor yesterday expressed their shock and sorrow after learning he died suddenly in hospital on Saturday.

Mr. Taylor was taken to the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital in the first week of January and released last Wednesday but was taken in again on Saturday morning and died shortly afterwards of a suspected aneurism.

Mr. Taylor's wife Marlese and Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves, who is his cousin, are preparing to take his body home to his native Barbados for burial in his local church.

Mr. Greaves said yesterday that a service may be held in Bermuda this week or there may be a special sitting of Supreme Court to allow friends and colleagues to express their condolences, as is the tradition in Barbados.

Mr. Taylor, 56, arrived in Bermuda in October, 2000, to take up the position of Principal Crown counsel.

Director of Public Prosecutions Khamisi Tokunbo told The Royal Gazette yesterday: "All of us are very shocked and saddened and surprised at the sudden passing of Mr. Taylor.

"He was well-mannered, popular, pleasant and humorous to colleagues and friends, and as an advocate, he was fierce, committed, experienced and successful, with a preference for criminal prosecutions.

"We will miss him as a friend and as a professional colleague and our deepest sympathy extends at this difficult and trying time to his family."

Mr. Greaves said yesterday: "We have been very heartened by the concern and expressions of sympathy, grief and condolence expressed by a wide cross-section of the Bermudian population.

"And we are also heartened by suggestions by many who wish to see some sort of service and perhaps a sitting of the Supreme Court in recognition of this servant of the people.

"Many of his fellow lawyers are shocked by this because they did not know he was taken ill and the death has come suddenly.

"He has always expressed his desire to return to St. Thomas Parish Church in Barbados, the place where we all grew up and went to church, and it is the determination of all us to return there."

Crown Counsel Wayne Caines, who was Mr. Taylor's pupil, said: "He was my pupil master, and more importantly, my friend.

"He was a great lawyer and he will be solely missed. During my pupilage he passed down his knowledge to me as a pupil and as a friend.

"He gave me direction as well as friendship and it is unimaginable that such a man could pass away at that age."