Panaji: The murder trial of British teenager Scarlett Keeling received a setback as Public Prosecutor S S Rivonkar has quit, claiming the trial is taking too long thereby affecting his other cases.

"Criminal proceedings are essentially linear in nature and a change of counsel at this stage would definitely be a setback for the prosecution. My hopes of success in this particular case are certainly dampened," said Vikram Verma, lawyer of Scarlett's mother Fiona MacKeown.

Fifteen-year-old Scarlett was sexually abused and murdered on a Goa beach in February 2008.

Two locals, Samson D'Souza and Placido Carvalho, had been arrested but were released on bail as the CBI could not file the chargesheet on time.

The case was already weakened by shoddy police investigation. Moreover, the CBI takeover has not improved evidence in the last two years.

Now as the public prosecutor resigns, and a new lawyer unfamiliar to matter takes over, hope for justice fades.

Tags: Fiona MacKeown, Scarlett Keeling, Scarlett murder