The Tribune

By FARRAH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A 34-year-old who claimed he assaulted a police officer because he was trying to protect him from being attacked by the dogs in his yard was yesterday placed on probation for six months.

John Knowles was arrested after he assaulted Police Corporal 2500 Davis when the officer came to his residence to inform him of his eviction on March 26. He admitted the offence during his hearing before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle Davis.

The court was told Knowles’ landlord asked Cpl Davis to come to the residence to evict Knowles. The prosecution said when Cpl Davis was about to serve the summons on the accused, he grabbed hold of the officer’s shirt and sleeve. Although he was warned to let go, Knowles continued to hold onto the officer’s uniform. He was subsequently arrested and charged.

Yesterday, he told the magistrate he only held officer Davis by his shirt as he was leaving because there were a lot of dogs in his yard and he was trying to prevent him from walking in the front yard and getting attacked by the animals. He stated that he knew the officer after coming in and out of the court system and insisted he never intended to hurt him.

In response, Magistrate Rolle Davis said the officer would not have known what was going on in Knowles’ mind. As a result, he accepted his guilty plea and placed him on six months’ probation. He warned Knowles if he failed to be of good behaviour within that time frame, he would be sentenced to one month behind bars.