Pitcairn Islanders seek trial delay to go to Privy Council

Seven Pitcairn Islanders facing sex charges want their island trial delayed to give them a chance to go to the Privy Council in London.

The seven, who face 96 sex charges, were due to stand trial on Pitcairn Island next month in a series of trials which could last six or seven weeks

However, today they were to apply to the Pitcairn Supreme Court, sitting in Auckland, to have the trials delayed so the Privy Council issue can be determined.

The seven want to argue against earlier rulings that the island is British territory, falls under British legal jurisdiction and that the seven accused can be tried under the British law and not their own.

The Privy Council is understood to have set aside time early in October to consider the application for leave to appeal. That hearing would begin after the trials began on the island.

Auckland crown prosecutor Christine Gordon, who is part of the Pitcairn prosecution team, said they were unsure if the Pitcairn Court, which is allowed to sit in this country after a special law was passed in New Zealand, would release its decision on the application today or if it would be reserved.

"Essentially it is an application for an adjournment of the trials."

She said the prosecution would oppose today's application.

Two applications to have the charges thrown out because the delay in bringing them to trial amounted to an abuse of process, and another seeking separate trials, were both refused by the Pitcairn Supreme Court last week.

- NZPA