Prisoner asks judge to fix date for upcoming trial "as soon as possible"

A serving prisoner in Maghaberry Prison who today asked a judge to fix a date for his upcoming trial "as soon as possible" was told that no date was available until December at the earliest.

The defendant, Cavan White, 35, from the Rossnagalliagh area of Derry, has a criminal record of 136 previous convictions as well as 38 breaches of court bail.

At his arraignment before Judge Roseanne McCormack KC at Derry Crown Court the defendant replied not guilty to a charge of threatening to disclose a private sexual image of a woman on March 22 of last year.

He also pleaded not guilty to a charge that he attempted to intimidate the same woman by using force, threats or menaces to cause her to enter a not guilty guilty plea to a theft charge that they are both are jointly charged with. He's alleged to have committed that offence also on March 22 of last year.

The defendant further pleaded not guilty to a charge that between March 22, 2023 and March 22 of last year, for his personal sexual gratification, he recorded the same woman doing a private act without her consent.

Prior to his arraignment defence barrister Grainne McAnaney told Judge McCormick "the defendant instructs that he is anxious to have a trial date listed as soon as possible".

A prosecution barrister said that any trial date depended on witness availability.

Judge McCormick said the trial would not be ready to proceed before Halloween and she fixed a provisional date of December 2 when the trial will be a second standby trial.

The defendant was then remanded in continuing custody in Maghaberry Prison.