Under-fire ex-Attorney General Elliott Mottley yesterday refused to shoulder the blame for the catalogue of cock-ups in the Rebecca Middleton murder case.

And he refused to comment on his role in the case -- which saw accused Justis Smith walk free on Tuesday after Puisne Judge Vincent Meerabux ruled there was no case to answer.

Mr. Mottley -- in an exclusive interview from his home in Barbados -- said: "I don't want to make any comment because I'm not aware of anything which has happened. I don't know what the criticisms are so I can't comment on it.'' The former Attorney General left the Island last week -- only days before Smith was acquitted of the Middleton murder.

But he denied his decision to quit Bermuda -- weeks after agreeing to a second extension to his contract until next March -- was influenced by controversy surrounding the handling of the Middleton murder trial.

Mr. Mottley said: "I think that's absolutely ridiculous -- I said my decision had nothing to do with Bermuda.'' The Barbadian barrister left Bermuda last weekend after more than five years in charge of Bermuda's criminal prosecutions.

He returned to his home in Barbados and a lucrative private practice in the capital of Bridgetown.

Ms Middleton's grieving father, David Middleton, speaking minutes after the judgement was announced -- said "people could draw their own inferences'' from Mr. Mottley's departure.

He added he had spoken to Mr. Mottley in the run-up to the trial and had been assured the AG would be handling the case himself.

But he said: "Not too long ago, I find that he wasn't prosecuting the case.'' Mr. Middleton added: "He was the man at the top -- now he isn't here.'' And Archie Warner -- part of Smith's defence team -- said the Crown had been warned their case was "cock-up after cock-up''.

Smith was arrested in connection with the brutal slaying with Jamaican national Kirk Mundy.

Mundy was jailed for five years months after the 1996 murder after pleading guilty to being an accessory after the fact.

The Crown later tried to charge Mundy with murder after forensic evidence from Canada became available -- but their bid was finally rejected by Bermuda's highest court of appeal, the Privy Council in London.

Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Paula Cox did not rule out an inquiry into the Attorney General's handling of the case.

She was backed by Shadow Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Michael Dunkley.

And top English barrister John Perry QC, who led Smith's defence team, also called for an inquiry.

ATTORNEY GENERAL AG COURTS CTS