The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Court Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

AN OFFICER gave testimony in a Magistrate’s Court in a man’s ongoing trial where he faces accusations of assaulting a police officer last Christmas.

Police Constable Darwin Sherman, of Wulff Road Station, testified before Magistrate Kendra Kelly in Macowelly Jones’s trial for assaulting Corporal 3890 King at a bar early Christmas morning.

During his testimony, PC Sherman indicated that on the day of the incident he conducted an interview with the accused under caution in the presence of another officer.

It was at this time that Jones said that he was in a fight in Sweet Scent Bar off Mackey Street. There he claimed he was ganged by unknown males and that during this altercation he threw a punch in the direction of Corporal King, who he said ducked the blow.

After this, Jones said he apologised to the officer stating that he didn’t know he was there.

Upon completion of this interview, Jones was arrested and officially charged with assault of a police officer.

After identifying Jones as the suspect in court PC Sherman presented the official Record of Interview (ROI) signed by both men to the Magistrate. The ROI was then entered into evidence.

When Jones was allowed to speak during cross-examination, he said that he only apologised for throwing a punch because he felt he assaulted the officer, but that he did not.

The accused also said he never intended to attack Corporal King, who had previously testified in court. King still managed to evade the blow, it was said in court.

Following the magistrate’s decision that there was sufficient evidence to proceed with the case after the prosecution closed, Jones elected to speak in his own defence.

It was at this time that the accused said he was leaving the bar at around 12am that morning when a man grabbed his shirt for some unknown reason. This then broke into a fight when three other men attacked his back.

It was only after he felt someone grab his shirt again from the back that Jones threw a punch at the officer, which he said Corporal King had the reflexes to evade. After realising it was an officer, he asked King why he didn’t help him in fight only for Jones to claim that the Corporal “aggressively” detained him and confiscated his money.

Jones ended his defence by once again saying he never actually hit the officer and that he was sober at the time. He then requested that the owner of the club be summoned for his defence in his next trial date.

Jones wishes security footage of the incident to be presented.

Before being escorted from court, he asked the magistrate why there was no medical form of the Corporal’s assault presented as evidence. Magistrate Kelly then told him that not all attacks require medical attention and that Corporal King still maintains Jones assaulted him. Jones was remanded back to BDCS and is expected to return to court on August 17 for continuation of his defence.