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Trial delayed after defendant claims to be hearing God’s voice

A Supreme Court trial due to start today was adjourned after the defendant claimed to be having visions from God.The request was made by lawyer Saul Dismont, who said the delay was necessary so his 37-year-old client could undergo psychiatric assessment.“The concern is that he’s hearing voices in his head that he claims is God,” Mr Dismont said. “The person I saw on Sunday is not the same person I see here in court today.”The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is charged with sexual assault and burglary.He has denied the offences, which allegedly occurred on September 1, 2009.Said Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves: “It’s amazing how men find God as soon as they’re in a jail cell, but God works in mysterious ways like that.“There is no way he’s going to come out of Westgate until a jury says he’s not guilty, so if he’s playing tricks like that let him play them. You tell him for me that God is speaking to me too.”He continued: “I don’t think you’re going to find anybody to say that at the time of the commission of the offence that he was crazy; it was a crazy offence all right.“He may be doing whatever he can to avoid trial but he needs to let his God know that when he’s finished he is going to trial.”Mr Justice Greaves then said to the defendant: “I’m going to try you myself. I’m not leaving this case for anybody else.”He granted Mr Dismont’s request for an adjournment but told the lawyer that his client had “wasted a lot of the court’s time”.“He who wastes this court’s time gets time,” Mr Justice Greaves said.The case was set down for mention in next month’s arraignment session.