SPANISH TOWN, St. Catherine:

High Court Judge Justice Ingrid Mangatal yesterday expressed concern about the high number of sexual offences taking place in St. Catherine, and said she hoped the police would do all in their power to bring the trend down.

Justice Mangatal was speaking yesterday at the opening of the Hilary session of the St. Catherine Circuit Court during which 20 new cases and 16 carrying over from the Christmas session were presented.

Her comments came against the background that, for the first time in many sessions, the calendar has been dominated by sexual offences, where more than 40 per cent of the cases listed for trial are rape, carnal abuse, buggery, incest and other sexual cases.

Justice Mangatal also said she was concerned that it has become even more difficult for the police to get upstanding Jamaicans to do their civic duty by acting as jurors during the circuit sittings. She said however that she was encouraged by the turnout in St. Catherine and hoped that this would continue throughout other circuits that will come in the parish.