A gay couple who are fighting a legal battle to be allowed to wed in Bermuda will have to wait until 2017 to have their day in court.

Bermudian Winston Godwin and his Canadian fiancé Greg DeRoche have brought a civil case against the Registrar-General for rejecting their application to marry.

The judicial review proceedings were due to begin on December 8, but the matter was delisted by Puisne Judge Charles-Etta Simmons, with a new date to be set, because of an ongoing criminal trial she is presiding over.

Mrs Justice Simmons ruled in October that the charity Preserve Marriage, which is opposed to same-sex marriage, could join the Human Rights Commission, which supports same-sex marriage, as an “intervener” in the proceedings.

Mr Godwin and Mr DeRoche are represented by former Attorney-General Mark Pettingill, with the Attorney-General’s Chambers for the defendant.

Mr Pettingill said yesterday: “I’m extremely disappointed that the matter is taking as long as it is.”