The Crown Prosecution Service is to review drug possession charges against a Newcastle University student who was present at the time of a County Armagh teenager’s death last year.
Kavir Kalliecharan, 19, of Coleridge Close in Leeds, was one of eight people found in the student accommodation where 18-year-old Jeni Larmour tragically lost her life on October 3, 2020.
Miss Larmour, from Newtownhamilton, had only just moved to the city to study architecture and urban planning.
Earlier today (Wednesday) Newcastle Magistrates’ Court heard how Miss Larmour was discovered unconscious by paramedics following an emergency call at around 6am.
The former Royal School Armagh deputy head girl was subsequently pronounced dead at the scene.
An inquest into her death found she had died as a result of taking an unknown substance.
Kalliecharan, who wasn’t present for today’s hearing, is charged with possessing MDMA, Ketamine and cannabis at Newcastle University’s Park View Student Village on October 3 last year.
A prosecutor, addressing the court, said that “at time of the incident there were eight other people present”.
“The property was searched by police officers who seized a number of items,” which included MDMA and Ketamine.
She asked the court for an adjournment of the case for eight weeks so there could be a “full review to ensure all lines of enquiry have been conducted appropriately”.
The prosecutor stated that this was “going to take time” and that the CPS did not have the case long enough to conduct an extensive review.
She added that the charges may be altered as a result.
Mr Kalliecharan’s solicitor Michael O’Garra said that although he did not object to the adjournment he was concerned why his client “had been prosecuted at all when he was charged with simple possession of drugs”.
“He is a young man of no previous and ordinarily one would expect to be dealt with – not through the courts – but by caution for such offences,” Mr O’Garra added.
“I accept totally that there are horrifically tragic circumstances surrounding this particular case but, nonetheless, I have invited the Crown to look at this case despite that and it may well mean further investigations as a result; I accept that. I have no objections to an eight-week adjournment.”
The case was adjourned until June 23 with Kalliecharan to appear in person for the next hearing.
