ST JAMES, Jamaica – The legal fraternity is mourning the passing of prominent St James attorney Roy Fairclough.

Fairclough died Sunday morning in hospital after ailing for the past three years. He was 72.

Fairclough”s wife, Fay said her husband went into the field of law so that he could assist the less fortunate.

“His main mission in life was to help poor people. I asked how and he told me. He said they had a law in Jamaica where you get 18 months for ganja and him say that is the reason why him guh duh law,” stated the grieving widow who refers to her husband as the ‘poor people’s lawyer’.

She even referred to a man who he successfully repesented in court. She said some years after his acquittal, the man saw both her and her husband walking in the town and reminded Fairclough that he was the one who represented him. Fay said the man told Fairclough that he wanted to show his appreciation and went into his pocket and took out what he had and gave it to Fairclough. 

The money turned out to be $50 and Fairclough accepted it. Fay said Fairclough told her that, “this is what the man has and he wanted to show his appreciation.”

Fairclough, who practised law for approximately 40byears, represented clients in criminal and civil matters and also provided advice to those in need.

Fairclough also taught at the Norman Manley Law School for several years.

He has represented clients in several high-profile cases, including the former councillor for the Salt Spring division in St James, the  People’s National Party’s Sylvan Reid.

Fairclough represented Reid in 2017 when the politician was given a conditional discharge in the fatal accident involving 14-year-old Jouvhaine Whitmore, the son of Reggae Boyz coach Theodore Whitmore.

Fairclough also represented Reid when he was freed of charges of unlawful possession of property in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate Court in 2013.

–         Anthony Lewis