The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAN denied murdering a British diving instructor in western New Providence when he was formally arraigned in Supreme Court on Friday.

The arraignment of 23-year-old Brian Miller Jr took place via video conferencing in the courtroom of Justice Carolita Bethell concerning the fatal shooting of Gary Vanhoeck on May 1.

Miller is claimed to have intentionally caused the Englishman’s death and robbed his wife, Kathryn, at gunpoint.

Mr Vanhoeck, an employee at Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas, was shot twice in the head by two masked men during an armed robbery of his wife, who was tied up during the incident but unharmed. However, Mr Vanhoeck was pronounced dead at the scene.

Miller faces charges of murder, armed robbery, burglary, possession of an unlicenced firearm and possession of ammunition.

Krysta Mason-Smith, Miller’s lawyer, argued before the arriagnment that firearm and ammunition possession charges were summary offences and should, in accordance with the law, be tried in Magistrates Court.

However, Director of Public Prosecutions Garvin Gaskin countered that legal provision existed for the charges to be heard in Supreme Court, provided that the Crown had evidence to prove the offences were tied to the commission of an indictable offence.

Justice Bethell accepted the prosecutor’s point before proceeding to arraign Miller, who denied murdering Mr Vanhoeck on the night of May 1. He further denied committing armed robbery or breaking into the boat of Vanhoeck and his wife, Kathryn, with the intent to steal.

The accused was lastly charged with possession of an unlicenced Blacklight Point .40 pistol and 10 live rounds of ammunition that were allegedly found in his possession on May 11. He also denied these allegations.

Miller is expected to receive a trial date at his next Supreme Court appearance on September 4 before Justice Bernard Turner, who will preside over his trial.