Justice was delayed yet again yesterday in an eight-year old rape case when the defendant's lawyer did not show up at court.

Lawyer Mark Pettingill was absent from the Supreme Court sentencing of Gordon Charles Omega Edmead, 39, who was formerly from Warwick.

Edmead pleaded guilty to the rape charge in the November Arraignments Session after eight years of being not-fit to plead.

On previous occasions, sentencing had been delayed because either the doctors were not present or psychiatric reports were not prepared.

But yesterday, everyone was in court - apart from Mr. Pettingill.

Edmead was waiting to hear whether he would be sentenced under an order, which will not allow him to be released from St Brendan's Hospital without a second Supreme Court order.

Justice Norma Wade-Miller adjourned the matter until the next Arraignments Session on April 1.