SHELDON WILLIAMS, Staff Reporter

An unbearable stench polluted the air in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday after an inmate defecated on himself forcing the court to adjourn for a few minutes.

Court proceedings were suspended briefly after it was revealed that the man who was brought before the court on the day to answer to a sexual offence had passed excrement on himself while in the holding cell.

Senior Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey soon rose from her bench allowing the officers of the court sufficient time to rectify the situation.

Instructions of, "somebody open the door, mek we get some fresh air ... open the windows please," echoed the need for ventilation to refresh the air.

Meanwhile, inmates who were in the cell with the man could be seen covering their noses with handkerchiefs as they instructed him to hurry and leave so that the stench would wear off.

A police officer then escorted the man from the cell away from the court.

Interestingly,only one of his hands was in handcuffs as he was being whisked away as the other hand was thrust into his pants.

A bottle of air freshener was soon introduced to kill the bacteria in the air while providing a more favourable scent.

It was unclear if the man's bowel action was accidental or deliberate.