NASSAU, Bahamas (CMC) – A Bahamas man accused of killing a 27-year-old mother and her 14-year-old daughter has been denied bail after a judge cited concerns for his own safety.

Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson said that Blake Strachan, who is accused of murdering Allison Thompson and her daughter Trevonika last year, will remain behind bars until his trial date on May 12, 2025.

Strachan is accused of killing the mother and child between April 11, 2023 and April 14, 2023. Police found their partially decomposed bodies in their apartment.

Justice Grant-Thompson, who said Strachan was not an eligible candidate for bail, describing him as a flight risk, adding that “the primary reasons are the cogency of the evidence against him in this matter and also that there are no conditions available to the Court to ensure the applicant does not abscond.”

The Crown also requested that bail be denied for his own safety and due to there being nothing peculiar relative to his present circumstances.

The judge noted that Strachan was not of good character, listing previous convictions between 2017 and 2019 for vagrancy, stealing, armed robbery, assault with intent to commit rape and a warrant of arrest for possession of dangerous drugs and possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply.

The judge also expressed concern that Strachan might interfere with witnesses.

“The Court takes judicial notice of the retaliatory killings in The Bahamas and is concerned for the safety of the applicant.  The Court, therefore, remands the applicant for his own safety having regard to the current conditions which prevail in the country.

“The Court is of the view that there are no conditions that can be implemented to ensure the applicant’s return for trial. The Court also remands the applicant for the safety of the public who may be caught in the crossfire if the applicant is released on bail,” she added.

The Bahamas government has tabled an amendment to the Bail Act, to ensure that bail is automatically revoked for suspects who violate the conditions of their release.

“Bail is a constitutional right, but not a right to be abused. There is a fundamental right to be presumed innocent, but the liberty that accompanies that presumption is not absolute, especially when someone poses a danger to society and themselves,” Prime Minister Phillip Davis told Parliament, adding that the move is part of his government’s strategy to combat crime in the country.