Four men appear in court over St Lucia yacht killing

Four men charged with murder and robbery following the death of a British yachtsman in St Lucia have appeared in court.

Richie Kern, Kervin Devaux, Fanis Joseph and Jeromine Jones, all of Vieux Fort, appeared before the Second District Court in Vieux Fort yesterday.

The charges relate to the death of Roger Pratt who was attacked on his boat in the Caribbean as he tried to defend his wife Margaret.

The couple, who were members of the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club, were on a round-the-world trip to celebrate Mrs Pratt's 60th birthday and planned to moved to Norfolk from their home in Warwickshire when they returned to the UK.

Last Friday, armed men climbed aboard their yacht which was moored off the coast of St Lucia.

A spokesman for the Royal St Lucia Police Force confirmed four men had been charged with murder and robbery and had been remanded in custody.

They will next appear in court on February 4th.