NOEL Maitland’s former supervisor testified on Wednesday that the accused never struck him as someone who had the temperament of a murderer, and therefore he was shocked when the constable, whom he described as hard-working, was charged with murder and preventing the lawful burial of a corpse.

The supervisor, who is an inspector of police now attached to the Rockfort Police Station in the Kingston Eastern Division, appeared as a character witness for the defence at the constable’s trial.

Maitland is on trial for murder and preventing the lawful burial of a corpse in relation to the July 12, 2022 disappearance of his girlfriend Donna-Lee Donaldson. Donaldson was last seen at the Chelsea Manor Apartments in St Andrew where Maitland lived.

“I was very surprised. This came as a shock. Nothing in his behaviour and general character suggested that he was a person who could have done something like that,” the inspector said while responding to questions from the defence team.

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Claudette Thompson, who is the lead prosecutor in the case, later pressed the inspector to explain the general character of someone who would commit murder.

The inspector said that in his view, a person who would commit murder may display signs of rage, anger, uncontrollable behaviour, and fits of violence, which may be evident if one is to observe their behaviour with members of the public during high-stress situations.

He told the seven-member jury that Maitland was a hard-working policeman and a team player.

“He was a professional and very vibrant person who loves his job. I would describe him as a hard-working police officer, a professional and very vibrant person. Constable Maitland was very agreeable. He was a little lippy sometimes. He always expressed himself. Yes, we drank socially. At the station, there is an upstairs building where lunch is served and beverages sold.

“Sometimes, we would have lunch in the general area and when we had any celebration, sometimes we would have a drink together off-duty. He was very sociable. If he goes in a room he is usually the centre of attention because of his personality,” the inspector said in response to further questions from Maitland’s defence team.

He was asked by the DPP whether he had extensive knowledge of Maitland’s life and activities outside of work and the inspector admitted that he did not.

He admitted also that he did not know of Maitland’s relationship with Donaldson or with Kathanya Smith, the mother of Maitland’s child, but was aware that he was a father. The inspector also confirmed to the seven-member jury that he gave a statement that was used earlier in the case by the prosecution which also makes him a Crown witness.

The jury also heard that at the time when the inspector supervised Maitland, the constable performed mainly prisoner escort duties.

“He was one of the more senior persons at the lock-ups and he had assumed the responsibility as a post driver to get prisoners to court on time and also to pick them up and transport them to their various locations like the Constant Spring, Red Hills, Lawrence Tavern and Grants Pen. He was serious about his work so he would arrive early. He would always be on top of things to be done. He operated without need for close supervision and you could rely on him to do all that needed to be done,” he said.

The defence explained that after the inspector, they had no further witnesses to call.

The trial continues today with the prosecution team expected to deliver closing arguments.