A high school principal yesterday turned up for the trial of a former student who allegedly attacked him a year ago only to learn that the case had to be adjourned until October.

Kiwon Butterfield, 17, of Rattery Lane in Sandys Parish, was charged with assaulting Sandys Secondary principal Melvyn Bassett during the school's graduation ball on June 29, last year.

Butterfield allegedly attacked Mr. Bassett after he was not allowed to take part in the ceremony because his dreadlocks were not tied back or covered.

The trial, scheduled for all day in Magistrates' Court yesterday, was postponed after Butterfield's lawyer Archibald Warner failed to appear.

Mr. Warner sent a fax message less than an hour before the trial was scheduled to begin.

Butterfield's mother, Debbie Butterfield, told Senior Magistrate Will Francis that Mr. Warner had planned to send a representative to reschedule the case as he was unavailable.

But after waiting for 20 minutes, Mr. Francis called Mr. Warner's unexplained absence "absolutely reprehensible''.

Police prosecutor Sgt. Anthony Mouchette agreed Mr. Warner's failure to appear was a "total disrespect of the courts''.

Mr. Francis, who initially decided to go ahead with the case, said: "I am not going to have this court pushed around''.

He called the first witness, Dr. James Simons, who began his testimony after one of Mr. Warner's assistants, lawyer Renee Foggo, appeared on his behalf.

She apologised for Mr. Warner's absence and her tardiness. But Mr. Francis informed her of his "hot displeasure''. Miss Foggo explained Mr. Warner was in a Supreme Court case which he had expected to finish before yesterday.

But Mr. Francis disregarded the excuse and said Mr. Warner could have notified the court Friday when he realised he would be unable to attend.

Mr. Francis then decided to adjourn the matter.

"I don't want to try this young fellow without giving him every benefit possible,'' he explained.

But he allowed Dr. Simons to finish his testimony.

Dr. Simons said he arrived at the graduation at Sonesta Beach Hotel around 7.30 p.m. on June 29 last year as a guest of the keynote speaker Bernadette Wilson.

Waiting to enter the lower level ballroom as a member of the head table, Dr.

Simons said he noticed a disturbance some ten feet away, between Mr. Bassett and a student.

While unaware what the conversation was about, he said: "I could see that it wasn't your typical discussion between a principal and a student.'' He then noticed the conversation was getting more "heated'' and the student was becoming "agitated''.

Dr. Simons said he eventually approached Mr. Bassett as "it looked like what could turn into a hostile situation''.

The discussion ended, he said, and Mr. Bassett told him the issue centred around the student's hairstyle.

The conversation regarding Butterfield's hair resumed when three women, including Butterfield's mother, came over to talk with Mr. Bassett, Dr. Simons recalled.

Dr. Simons said Butterfield's dreadlocks were not long enough to hang down.

"They just sort of stood,'' he added.

During the part of the ceremony when graduates entered the hall as they were announced, Butterfield's name was not called, Dr. Simons noted.

Butterfield then approached the podium and grabbed the microphone and asked Mr. Bassett something to the effect of "Why was my name not called?'' "He then moved around to the back of the head table and toward Mr. Bassett and began to attack him from behind,'' Dr. Simons said.

"Myself and one other gentleman from the table grabbed the accused and pulled him away from Mr. Bassett and held him there for a few minutes,'' he said.

When they released Butterfield he left the room, but turned a table over as he walked out.

When the emcee continued to announce the graduates, she included Butterfield's name and he entered the room with his hair tied back.

Mr. Francis adjourned the case until October 15. But he added it would be given "top priority''.