Lawyer Charles-Etta Simmons yesterday became the first Bermuda-born woman to sit full-time as a Supreme Court judge.

Supreme Court Registrar Ms Simmons, together with Crown counsel Philip Storr, was sworn in for a year by Governor Thorold Masefield at Government House.

The only other Bermuda-born woman to have sat in the Island's top criminal court is English-based Patricia Dangor, who has returned to the Island occasionally to fill in as a judge.

Ms Simmons said after the ceremony: "Obviously, I'm very pleased and humbled.'' Chief Justice Austin Ward said the move to appoint the two new judges came because two full-time Puisne Judges are likely to be tied up with the major international Thyssen and Bermuda Fire & Marine Insurance Co. Ltd. cases for some time.

He added: "These are temporary positions. We are trying two major cases so it means that we are short two judges.

"We're just filling the slots, as it were. Otherwise, we wouldn't be able to do all the work. We're struggling at the moment trying to deal with the backlog.'' Ms Simmons served as a Magistrate before being appointed to her current post four years ago.

She is a graduate of the University of Buckingham in England and the Inns of Court School of Law in London.

Mr. Storr, an Englishman with five years experience at the Attorney General's Chambers, served as a Recorder -- a temporary judge -- on the Crown Court circuit in the southeast of England for several years.

Mr. Ward said: "Mr. Storr has sat as a Recorder and Ms Simmons has been Registrar for the last four years and she has judicial functions as Registrar.'' In a separate ceremony, End-to-End Walk stalwart Eugene Carmichael was presented with the Queen's Certificate and Badge of Honour awarded in the recent Queen's Birthday Honours List.

Mr. Carmichael -- on the governing body of the annual charity hike, which has raised $1.3 million for 51 Island charities -- got his award ahead of the official ceremony planned for later this year as he is moving to Spain.

He said: "This means very much to me. One serves not for self-aggrandisement, but this is applause and, of course, I'm suitably impressed.'' Mr. Carmichael -- with fellow End-to-End organiser Valerie Dill -- was one of 11 Bermudians honoured in the list, topped by Progressive Labour Party veteran Lois Browne Evans, who became a Dame.