Supergrass faces deportation

(CNS): Marlon Dillon, the controversial armed robber turned crown witness, is facing deportation from Cayman and claims that promises made to him that he would be reunited with his family in the UK have been broken. During the cross-examination of Dillon, labelled ‘supergrass’ by his own attorneys as a result of his assistance to prosecutors in three major criminal cases, including the current Cayman National Bank robbery, it was revealed that Dillon’s protection as a witness is in question.

The jury heard that Dillon was still fighting what appears to be a losing battle to avoid being deported or get a visa to join his family in the UK, where they are part of a witness protection scheme. The UK will not give Dillon a visa because of his conviction for his part in both the Cayman National Bank robbery and the WestStar armed hold-up.

His Caymanian status, which was gained through marriage, is also about to be revoked, leaving the key prosecution witness with no place to go but his native Jamaica. Concerns have been raised that if Dillon returns to the neighbouring island he could be the subject of reprisals for his decision to give evidence against his alleged co-conspirators in the CNB and WestStar cases, as well as his evidence against Brian Borden, who was convicted last summer with the gang related murder of Robert Macford Bush.

During his time on the witness stand over the last few days in the trial of David Tamasa, Rennie Cole, George Mignott and Andre Burton — four of the men that Dillon alleges were involved in the bank robbery with him — details of Dillon’s current circumstances have gradually emerged, throwing into question his protected witness status. Admitting to being an associate with the Birch Tree Hill gang, Dillon’s decision to give evidence has left him as a potential target of dangerous criminals, the police have stated in documentation presented to the courts.

Dillon was recently released from custody after serving around two and a half years in solitary confinement at George Town Police Station. He was given a three-year sentence as a result of the exceptional circumstances surrounding his decision to give evidence against a significant number of suspects in the robberies and the Bush murder. After Dillon began assisting police while in custody, his family was placed in protective custody in the UK.

Dillon confirmed Monday during cross-examination that the authorities here had promised that he would, once released, be able to join them. However, since then the issue of getting a visa for Dillon has been undermined by his conviction and it seems the governor’s office has been reluctant to intervene with the FCO to smooth Dillon’s relocation to the UK.

It also emerged Monday that, at the start of last week, as Dillon was due to give his evidence in the current trial he discovered that he was about to be deported. He confirmed that he had received a letter from the immigration department on Monday evening, 16 February, giving him fifteen days to leave or challenge the deportation.

Officers involved in the robbery and murder cases have said that he placed his own life and the lives of his family in danger as a result of the evidence he had given. Nevertheless, the authorities now appear to be withdrawing the protection he had been offered despite knowing the witness is likely to be a target.

However, the attorneys representing the four men currently standing trial for the armed bank heist have all pointed to the short sentence and the promises and inducements from the authorities as reasons for what they say it is false evidence.

The defence lawyers claim that Dillon’s account, which is littered with inconsistencies and changed stories, is a “pack of lies” made up in an effort to reduce his own time in jail and get a new life at the expense of the Cayman taxpayer.

The defence said that Dillon was continuing to lie on the witnesses stand in a continuing hope that his assistance to the crown will see the authorities fulfil the promises that he says were made to him to join his family a free man and financially aided by the public purse.

Dillon has persistently denied that he has benefitted from giving evidence and has said on a number of occasions that there has been no advantage to him as a result of his decisions to give evidence but that he was doing so in an effort to do the right thing.

As the case continued Monday it once again returned behind closed doors as a result of more legal disputes. The jury was scheduled to return to court Tuesday at 10:30am, when the cross-examination of Dillon is expected to continue.