The bungled handling of the Rebecca Middleton case should warn everyone in Bermuda’s justice system that “it only takes a moment’s inattention or foolishness for things to go terribly wrong,” said Chief Justice Richard Ground.

Giving his views yesterday, Mr Justice Ground said: “I believe that, since these matters, the administration of justice in Bermuda is in a much better and healthier condition, at all levels.

“But we should never get complacent, and, as this case demonstrates, it only takes a moment’s inattention or foolishness for things to go terribly wrong.

“It does no harm for those of us involved in the administration of justice to be reminded of that from time to time.”