Cop loses legal battle
October 13, 2006
Acting Assistant Com-missioner of Police, Owen Ellington, on Wednesday lost his legal battle in the Supreme Court to recover millions of dollars in damage from the Government.
The suit stemmed from a charge, which was brought against him in December 1996 for conspiracy to defraud an insurance company, when he was a superintendent.
Mrs. Justice Marva McDonald-Bishop, after hearing legal arguments, threw out Ellington's case and ordered him to pay the Government's legal costs.
Attorney-at-law Richard Small, who represented Ellington, said on Wednesday that Ellington was considering whether he should appeal the matter.
No malice
Government lawyers Simone Mayhew and Jerome Spencer had asked the judge to dismiss the suit because Assistant Commissioner of Police Osburne Dyer did not act with malice when he arrested and charged Ellington. They said statements were collected and the file sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions who ruled that Ellington should be charged.
Ellington was charged jointly with Corporal Errol 'Schoolboy' Richards and Janice Bernard but the latter two were convicted of the charge and each sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment....
Author: Gleaner Reporter
Source: Jamaica Gleaner
