Last February, Qatar’s highest court, the Court of Cassation, threw out the conviction and sentence.

The retrial in a high-profile case of a Qatari man accused of killing a British teacher was adjourned on Sunday after the defence lawyer failed to show up in court.

The case of Badr Hashim Khamis Abdallah al-Jabar was adjourned until May 1 because of the legal no-show.

Jabar told the court that no defence team was present as “my lawyer was not informed about today’s hearing”.

The judge then pushed the case back a further five weeks.

Jabar was initially sentenced to death two years ago after being convicted of stabbing and killing Lauren Patterson, 24, in October 2013 and burning her remains in a desert location.

The victim was also sexually assaulted, according to evidence given in court.

Last February, however, Qatar’s highest court, the Court of Cassation, threw out the conviction and sentence, ordering a retrial.

Jabar maintained he had accidentally stabbed Patterson after a row which she had started.

Lauren’s mother Alison told AFP she would attend the next hearing despite her disappointment on Sunday.

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