One of the two men arrested over the killing of a young British cricketer in Trinidad has been charged with his murder.
Adrian St John, 22, was shot in an apparent robbery in San Juan, Trinidad, last Sunday night. He was picking up a male relative of two female passengers when all three were robbed of their cash and mobile phones.
St John was allegedly told to drive away, but as he was doing so one of the men fired a single shot that hit him in the head, the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian reported. He was taken to hospital but died while being treated.
Maldon Pascall, 24, was charged on Friday night with St John’s murder and is due to appear in court on Monday. The suspect was picked out at an identification parade on Thursday, according to the report.
Trinidad police said Pascall was held on Monday after he went to a police station to give a statement and his description matched one of the men who robbed and shot St John. A fingerprint analysis is expected to determine whether the second suspect’s prints matched those recovered from the car St John was driving when he was robbed.
St John grew up in Kennington, south London – close to the Oval cricket ground – and developed a passion for the sport. He captained the Chris Gayle cricket academy, which opened in 2013 to “improve access to good quality education, training and employment for at-risk young people in Jamaica and the UK”.
Following St John’s death, Gayle, the West Indies cricketer, tweeted: “Such sad news to hear. My condolences to his family & friends. Adrian St John was the captain of the academy.”
St John joined the Oxted and Limpsfield cricket club in Surrey for the 2015 season and played 18 games for the first team. The club chairman, Phil Trayner, said: “He was fun loving, friendly, cricket-mad and always had a kind word for his fellow club members. His commitment was clear for all to see.”
He also played for Alleyn Cricket Club in Dulwich, south London, and for his squad at the University of Hertfordshire. He was described by a coach as a talented sportsman who was in Trinidad to improve his cricket. He had worked as a recruitment consultant in London.
