Senior prosecutor Claudette Thompson to act as DPP following retirement of Paula Llewellyn

Senior Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Claudette Thompson is to act in the post of Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) starting on Monday, as Paula Llewellyn KC today demitted office to proceed on retirement.

Llewellyn served as DPP for 17 years.

"Throughout my 41 years of public service, I have been privileged to have not only given service above self to the public at the highest level, but I have worked with and mentored a host of fine professionals in my ODPP [Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions] family," she said in a media release on Friday.

She expressed gratitude for the support she received throughout her journey.

"I will cherish all the memories that I shared with my ODPP family, as well as stakeholders over the years, who have made my tenure in public office a committed and meaningful journey for example, law enforcement agencies, the media, court staff, Department of Corrections, the Judiciary sitting in the Court of Appeal, Supreme Court and Parish Court, Court Reporters, staff at the Ministry of Justice and other Ministries and non-governmental agencies, embassies, international stakeholders, prosecuting agencies and colleague DPPs across the Caribbean," said Llewellyn.

"As I look forward to my new portfolio called 'retirement', I am interested with God's help and continued grace to see what lies ahead for [me]," she added.

She called on stakeholders to give their full support to Thompson.

Thompson has two decades of experience as a prosecutor.

Who is Claudette Thompson?

* Thompson was born on May 27, 1975.

* She was the Clerk of the Court in St Ann in 2004 before becoming Assistant Crown Counsel in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) in 2007.

* Thompson is a past student of the University of the West Indies, Mona where she obtained a bachelor's degree in International Relations.

* She also attended the University of Wolverhampton in the United Kingdom where she obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree, and attended the Norman Manley Law School where she obtained her Certificate of Legal Education.

* She has a range of experience in the conduct of complex prosecutions in the parish court, Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal.

* Her duties at the ODPP over the years included the conduct of rulings from various state entities, head of the Roster Committee, head of the Gun Court Unit, and being in charge of the Home Circuit Administration Unit.

* Thompson featured prominently in several high-profile prosecutions including the anti-gang case which led to the conviction of boss of the One Don faction of the Clansman Gang, Andre Bryan.

* She was also pivotal in the prosecution and conviction of Uchence Wilson gangsters.

* Thompson also featured prominently in the prosecution and conviction of Clansman leader, Tesha Miller, for accessory after the fact to murder in the killing of former Chairman of the Jamaica Urban Transit Company Douglas Chambers. Both Miller and Bryan are serving life sentences.

* Thompson is a member of the Legal Aid Board and a former Vice-President of the Legal Officer's Staff Association.

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