By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A MAN accused of having sexual relations with a nine-year-old girl and taking pictures while in the act appeared in Supreme Court yesterday for the opening of his trial.

However, a lawyer will have to be assigned to 61-year-old Edward Butler after his

lawyer, Ian Cargill, who is before another Supreme Court judge in a high profile murder case, asked the court for leave to withdraw due to a conflict of scheduling.

Justice Vera Watkins granted the application before asking the jury pool, yet to be empanelled, to return to court on Thursday, May 23.

Turning to the accused, Justice Watkins told Butler that the registrar would assign counsel to represent him.

Butler faces charges of unlawful sexual intercourse and child pornography. He denies both charges.

It is claimed that he committed these acts with a nine-year-old girl between November 9, 2009 and January 8, 2010.

The complainant is now 13 years of age.

She and the other four prosecution witnesses, who were present yesterday, were also asked to return to court on Thursday.

Darnell Dorsett, Maria Zancolla and Charles Newbold are prosecuting the case for the Crown.