Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves warned the Crown to be ready to proceed next time after he was forced yesterday to adjourn a fraud case against a Pembroke couple for the eighth time.

Former Bermuda Housing Corporation housing officer Terrence Smith 43, and his wife Veronica, 43, from Tee Street, have been charged already with two counts of false pretences with intent to defraud Capital G Ltd of $595,000 and $245,000.

Yesterday a long form preliminary investigation was due to start but prosecutor Oonagh Vaucrosson appeared in Magistrates? Court and said her colleague Cindy Clarke, who is handling the matter, was tied up with another case.

Mr. Greaves agreed to put it over for mention on May 26 after pointing out that he had given prosecutors three months to be ready after setting a date in January only for it to be adjourned in March.

Defence lawyer Elizabeth Christopher had argued for the case to be dropped after indicating Mr. Greaves had promised this would happen if there were further Crown delays.

Mr. Greaves read from the record confirming this as well as a warning to the defence not to drag its feet. Yesterday Mr. Greaves gave the Crown another chance to be ready.

Mrs. Vaucrossan said the Crown wasn?t to blame for all the delays and said the defence had been involved in a lengthy trial.

Mr. Greaves said: ?This is the eighth adjournment, you are embarrassing me.?

Mrs. Vaucrosson apologised for the delay. Ms Christopher said the case was totally bogus and argued for bail restrictions to be eased. Mr. Greaves agreed for Mr. Smith to have his travel documents returned. Bail of $50,000 was extended.