The sentencing of 21-year-old Matthew Hyde, the former University of the West Indies (UWI) student who held his girlfriend captive in a dorm room and assaulted her in 2023, has been postponed to November 22 following a power outage at the Supreme Court on Friday.

A travel oversight which saw Hyde arriving to court over two hours late from lockup delayed the hearing. Attorneys were observed making checks with the police several times regarding his whereabouts before he finally arrived. Then, minutes into the session, repeated power outages at the Supreme Court shut down the affair.

The lights at the Kings Street court flickered on and off about four times before going out completely. After waiting in vain for several minutes, sitting judge, Justice Carolyn Tie-Powell, who was in the midst of hearing from Hyde’s lawyer, Patrick Peterkin, was forced to reschedule the proceedings.

Prior to the blackout, Hyde had asked to speak to the female complainant to issue an apology, which she allowed, through her counsel, on the condition she would be allowed to respond. The hearing never got to that point, a fact which frustrated the complainant, according to her counsel, Obika Gordon.

“She is disturbed, we understand that what happened today was beyond anyone’s control but she will make herself available for the continuation,” he said.

The young woman was not in court physically, but sat in on the proceedings via zoom. Gordon told Observer Online pre-hearing that the woman was hoping for “a sentence that fits the abuse, torture, and assault that she suffered.”

Peterkin, who stressed to the judge that Hyde was not beyond redemption, told Observer Online pre-hearing that he was hoping for “as lenient a sentence as possible in the circumstances.”

Peterkin is also hoping that the judge will take into consideration the contents of a psychiatric evaluation, which he did not detail, and Hyde’s time spent in custody, totalling one year and around nine months. In his address to the judge, the attorney mentioned Hyde’s “youth, remorse and psychological fragility” as points for Justice Tie-Powell to consider.

Hyde is facing sentencing on seven counts, one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, one count of false imprisonment, a count of malicious communication and four counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. He pleaded guilty to the charges in September.

READ: UWI dorm logbook goes missing; Matthew Hyde returns to court Nov 8

The charges were levelled at the 21 year old in February 2023 after he allegedly held his ex-girlfriend captive in his room on the George Alleyne Hall at The University of the West Indies, Mona, between Monday February 6 and Thursday February 9 and tortured her, burning her with a clothing iron and beating her.

The young woman was rescued by police after she managed to get access to a device and call for help. The UWI, in a 2023 statement had indicated that campus security was notified of the situation and an investigation uncovered evidence of abuse.

“She was found to have suffered burns all over her body. Campus security immediately advised the campus police, along with the Mona police, who quickly responded, rescued the female student, and handed over the accused to the Half-Way-Tree Police Station where he was charged with assault occasioning grievous bodily harm,” The UWI said.

Hyde returns to court November 22.