Senior Puisne Judge Marva McIntosh ordered the ban amid speculation that media coverage of the case could have led to angry residents attempting to attack a prosecution witness at her home in Manchester on Tuesday night.

The witness had testified in the Home Circuit Court on Monday and Tuesday, and when she returned to give further testimony yesterday, it was reported that the witness was apprehensive to testify because of the incident.

Flee for life

It was reported that, on Tuesday night, angry residents stormed her home where she lived with her mother and two children and she had to run for her life.

Although it could not be ascertained that media coverage of the case had caused the alleged attack on the witness, the judge said there should be no further coverage, particularly of the testimony of that witness, because if anything should happen to the witness, she did not want it to be said that she had not done anything about it.

The Mandeville police said yesterday that they had not received a report of the incident.

After the ban was placed on the media, the witness continued her testimony at the trial of Lennox Swaby and Calvin Powell, the latter also called Kevin, who are charged with the double murder.

The Crown is alleging that the men murdered the Lyns during the course or furtherance of a robbery at their home in Mandeville between December 9 and 10, 2006.