A Supreme Court jury had barely begun to warm their seats Monday when they were dismissed after the Crown?s prime witness in a serious assault trial failed to show.

Following a half-hour long procedure of picking the 12 people, Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves was forced to order them to dismiss a grievous bodily harm charge against 22-year-old Jakai Tyrone Hartford.

Crown counsel Wayne Caines told Mr. Justice Greaves that Darren Francis? failure to appear on Monday morning indicated that he did not wish to take the matter any further.

Hartford, 22, of Mission Lane, Pembroke, was accused of causing grievous bodily harm to Mr. Francis on October 25, 2003.

Mr. Caines also told the court that Mr. Francis had met with the Director of Public Prosecutions several times to discuss the case and prepare for the trial.