The grandmother who allegedly killed her granddaughter Jael Thomas pleaded not guilty on the opening of the January Criminal Assizes, which got under way yesterday.
The woman, who was 68 years old in September 2014 when the incident occurred, cried as she entered the plea when the charge was read to her for the first time in the High Court before Justice Keith Thom.
The prosecution subsequently asked that the case be adjourned for a trial date to be fixed.
It is alleged that on Monday September 22, 2014, some time around midnight, Roberts severely beat and injured her granddaughter.
Hours later, a relative found her dead in bed.
The elderly woman, who will remain on remand at Her Majesty’s Prison, was among a list of over 30 accused persons in cases of new committals, while there are over 30 old cases that were traversed from previous assizes.
At yesterday’s proceedings, a man accused of having sex with a female minor pleaded guilty and has been remanded pending sentencing later this month.
Details of that case will be divulged at the sentencing hearing.
Cases on the list for trial include larceny, robbery, varying types of fraud to include embezzlement and obtaining money by false pretenses, murder, causing death by dangerous driving, wounding, rape, sexual intercourse with underage girls, drug possession and trafficking, among others.
Two judges who will be conducting the assizes this term are Justice Thom and newly appointed judge Iain Morley.