Court staff took action over a colleague who signed a document that claimed a sex offender convicted in July had no criminal convictions in the past three years.

The administrative staff in the court system attended a union meeting on Monday called over Donneisha Butterfield, whose signature appeared on a court letter given to sex offender Malik Zuill.

The action took place after Alexandra Wheatley, the Supreme Court Registrar, confirmed on Thursday that the letter given to Zuill was an error.

Ms Wheatley said the same day she would not “have an opportunity to respond in a meaningful way” until Friday afternoon, but did not respond to several requests for further comment. Court associates walked out of the Dame Lois Browne-Evans Building without warning on Monday morning.

Magistrate Tyrone Chin, who sat in plea court, later told the court that the workers were attending a union meeting and did not know how long they would be gone.

Mr Chin carried on with Magistrates’ Court hearings and court staff returned in less than an hour.

It is not known what was discussed at the meeting.

An anonymous source contacted The Royal Gazette the next day and claimed that the meeting involved Ms Butterfield’s position at the court.

Ms Wheatley was asked for a comment on the walkout and if an investigation or disciplinary action against Ms Butterfield would be taken.

A spokeswoman for the Supreme Court said that Ms Wheatley had been away since Monday and would not return until November 5.

Cratonia Thompson, who is deputising for Ms Wheatley, did not respond to a request for comment.

Court staff later declined to discuss the reason for the meeting or Ms Butterfield.

Lloyquita Symonds, the Bermuda Public Services Union member who represents court staff, also declined to comment.

Zuill was charged with a sex assault on an underage girl in 2015 and the use of a phone to commit the act.

He was due to face charges in Magistrates’ Court early last year, but moved to Britain before a court appearance.

He was later found to be working as a cleaner in a hostel in Liverpool and arrested by officers from London’s Metropolitan Police.

Zuill was extradited to the island on April 24 and remanded in custody until July 1.

He pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to five months imprisonment, but was released immediately because of time served in custody.

Zuill’s arrest was featured in an episode of the BBC One television programme Fugitives, which followed the work of a specialist police unit.

The Royal Gazette reported Zuill’s appearance in the programme last month.

Zuill later sent the court letter, dated August 21, to The Royal Gazette in an e-mail.

The letter said: “Re: Malik Zuill. D.O.B. December 28, 1996. “The above captioned individual has no criminal convictions recorded at the courts in the past three (3) years.”

It carried a stamp with the seal of the Magistrates’ Court of Bermuda and was signed by Donneisha Butterfield, Court Associate. Zuill said in the email: “I am asking that you have the article published removed immediately for legal reasons.

“If you cannot comply, I will be forced to take legal action. I have copied in my lawyer, if you have any queries.”

Elizabeth Christopher, Zuill’s defence lawyer during the trial, did not respond to requests for comment.

Larry Mussenden, the Director of Public Prosecutions, later confirmed that Zuill was convicted and sentenced to five months imprisonment in July, as reported by the BBC and The Royal Gazette.

Ms Wheatley said last Thursday that the letter was “issued incorrectly” by the courts and that a correct letter had been produced.

But she added: “However, I have no authority whatsoever to disclose a document which has been requested by another party and contains private and confidential information.”

Ms Wheatley did not explain how the court document was “issued incorrectly”.

Ms Butterfield could not be contacted for comment.

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