A Kingston man implicated in the July 2013 stabbing death of Father Charles Brown was on Monday offered $500,000 bail when he appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court.

Rohan Deacon of Seaview Gardens, Kingston 11 — who allegedly went into hiding following the death of the clergyman — was formally charged with murder on March 1 after he was held in Trout Hall, Clarendon on February 19.

Deacon was offered bail by Senior Magistrate Judith Pusey following an application by his attorney, Shauna-Gaye Mitchell.

Mitchell told the court that her client went into hiding because of fear for his life.

“He got information that the police were looking for him and that they were not planning to take him in and that they were going to kill him,” she said.

But RM Pusey told her that she did not buy that argument as Deacon could have asked a pastor, justice of the peace, or even a lawyer to take him in to the police.

Mitchell, however, insisted that her client was acting out of fear.

In addition, she said prior to his disappearance the police went to Deacon’s community and made certain allegations about his sexual orientation, which caused people to turn against him.

Mitchell then told the magistrate that her client was now willing to submit himself to the system and noted that there are conditions that can be imposed to ensure that he returns to court.

Additionally, she pointed out that he was not a repeat offender, that he had no previous conviction, and was gainfully employed before the incident.

She also told the magistrate that the statement that he had given to the police was done without a lawyer and that it was more of a mixed statement and not a confession.

Deacon was subsequently offered bail on condition that he should report to the Greater Portmore Police Station three days per week and surrender his travel documents. A stop order was also placed on him at the island’s ports.

He is to return to court on April 13.

The Crown alleged that on July 25, 2013 at about 8:00 pm, a white Suzuki motorcar, which was owned by Archbishop of Kingston Charles Dufour and driven by Father Brown, was found abandoned in bushes adjacent to Tom Gringley Drive, Plantation Heights, in St Andrew.

Four days later on July 29, the decomposing body of Father Brown was found

with multiple stab wounds

to the upper body, head and left hand.

The prosecutor further reported that a knife blade and body parts that were found at the scene were taken to the forensic laboratory for testing and that a DNA test found that the blood on the underwear of the accused matched the blood of the deceased man.

According to the Crown, Deacon was the last person who was seen with the clergyman before his disappearance. The Crown also said that Father Brown had also told a close friend that he was going to see Deacon, but the friend at that time thought that Deacon was a member of the church.

— Tanesha Mundle