MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Defence attorneys representing Patrick Thompson, the licensed firearm holder who is accused of killing two women and injuring three others last month, on Wednesday deferred his bail application as they requested to see CCTV footage recorded on bulb cameras of the incident.

King’s Counsel Peter Champagnie and attorney Samoi Campbell are representing Thompson.

When Thompson made his second court appearance in the Manchester Parish Court before presiding judge Monique Harrison, Champagnie told the court that while the defence is grateful for full disclosure of all statements in the case, it would be “foolhardy” to proceed with the bail application based on the potential evidence.

A request was then made for raw CCTV footage from the police’s forensics unit of the February 23 incident. The clerk of the court then informed the court that it could take up to three weeks for the footage to be made available due to a backlog.

Thompson, who was dressed in a purple T-shirt and jeans pants, seemed frustrated when the matter was stood down.

When the court resumed, Champagnie said he found the three-week wait strange.

“Your Honour, I find it surprising that we are asking for the raw footage and we are being told three weeks,” he said.

Champagnie also told the court that all the statements except one were “favourable” to the defence’s case.

He later told journalists outside the court that the defence wants to view the footage before applying for bail.

“The bail application was adjourned until April 2 and the basis for that was that the disclosure revealed that there was some possibility of the incident being captured on CCTV and in those circumstances, we would want to have a look at that, because that will most certainly, if there is clarity in terms of footage, direct the way forward in a very certain way,” he said while adding that his clients maintains that it was self-defence.

“This doesn’t mean that our instructions have changed. The position is that at the material time our client acted in self-defence and was concerned about certain other issues, but again I don’t want it to be a case where we are seeking to say too much and appearing to be trying the case in public. In the circumstances, we are going to await the information and put ourselves again in a state of readiness for the bail application,” added Champagnie.

When asked about the length of time for the raw footage to be made available, Champagnie reiterated his position.

“It is very unusual by way of comment. Normally, you would wait on the official report, CFC, and that would take months. Raw footage is something I don’t see a challenge with and hence the concern that Ms Campbell and I expressed in court,” he said.

“One can never be okay with any time when one’s client is in custody. The sooner the better, so from that perspective we are concerned and we can’t be okay with it. We can’t understand why it would take so long, but sufficient until the day,” he added.

Thompson, otherwise called “Big T” or “Thommo”, an engineer of Levy Lane in Manchester, is charged with two counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder, two counts wounding with intent, two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two counts of assault at common law, two counts of possession of firearm and ammunition with intent to commit injury, and using a firearm to commit a felony following the incident on Levy Lane on Sunday, February 23.

Those killed are Stacy-Ann Mulgrave, 42, of Barnstable District, Manchester, and Ann-Marie Hanson, 46, of Caledonia Road, Manchester.

A police report said about midnight, Thompson was at a candlelight vigil when he and a man got into an argument over a motor vehicle accident. The argument escalated, causing a crowd. It is alleged that Thompson, who is a licensed firearm holder, opened gunfire at the crowd, hitting multiple persons before leaving the area. The injured persons were assisted to the hospital, where Mulgrave and Hanson were pronounced dead and the others admitted for treatment.