alleged killer Justis Smith.

Mr. Warner suffered a heart attack last September -- but he is expected to be fit for the trial, scheduled to start early next month.

Smith, 18, is accused of murdering Canadian teenager Rebecca Middleton in July 1996. He will appear in court next week for a trial date to be set.

Ms Middleton, 17, of Belleville, Ontario, was found with fatal stab wounds on Ferry Reach, St. George's, after a night out with a friend. The accused, of Deepdale Road, Pembroke, has been held in custody since his arrest nearly 18 months ago.

But in November, Chief Justice Austin Ward ordered Smith, who denies the murder charge, to appear in court on January 12 for a court date to be fixed.