Corporal granted bail
August 19, 2009
Special Corporal Leonard Nelson, who was last year convicted on a charge of grievous bodily harm, was granted bail in the Court of Appeal yesterday.
Nelson, who had 25 years service in the police force, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment last year for an incident dating back to 2005, where the policeman is said to have used a baton to hit a man in the right side of the face. The lost his eye as a result of the injury.
The man, Kevin Dower, testified that he, along with two other men, had gone to Norman Manley International Airport to pick up two children.
Refused to listen
The flight was delayed for several hours and they went in search of the children. Nelson is said to have told him that he was in a restricted area and would be arrested.
He tried to explain to Nelson that he was searching for the children, but Nelson wouldn't listen to him. Nelson grabbed him at the waist and proceeded to take him to the police station. He told Nelson he was suffering discomfort because of the manner in which he was being held and Nelson hit him in the face.
The case was tried in the Home Circuit court by Acting Justice Martin Gayle, who handed down the sentence. The crime carries with it a maximum sentence of seven years, but Gayle took into consideration witnesses who vouched for the cop's character....
Author: Gleaner Reporter
Source: Jamaica Gleaner
