A man who threatened and assaulted a police officer was yesterday given a one-year suspended sentence along with a $15,000 fine by Magistrate Hazel Octave-Hamilton.
Kevin Lavric was charged at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court with assaulting Jermaine Jordan so as to cause him actual bodily harm. He was also charged with using abusive language to Jordan. He allegedly committed both offences on December 27 at Cornhill Street.
Lavric pleaded not guilty to the assault charge but guilty to the threatening language charge.
The court heard that Jordan stopped his minibus at the Stabroek Market area and was speaking to a friend, when Lavric came up and asked him not to take away his passenger. Lavric used a series of expletives towards Jordan, who later approached him and cautioned him about his conduct. The prosecution said that the accused became annoyed and dealt Jordan a cuff to his face. The matter was subsequently reported and the defendant was arrested and charged.
When given a chance to speak, Lavric, however, told the court that he did not know that Jordan was a police officer, since he was dressed in civilian clothes. He further charged that Jordan hit him first and as a result he retaliated. “He scramble me and I end up cuffing him. I decided to walk off easy but the conductor of the bus that went with he (Jordan) came out with a cutlass and de officer come behind me and hold onto me and both of us fall on the ground,” he said, while also contending that at that point a crowd had gathered and the conductor approached him with a cutlass while he was on the ground and threatened to “chop off” his head.
After hearing both sides, Magistrate Octave-Hamilton handed down her decision on the charges and stressed to Lavric the importance of good behaviour and staying out of trouble. She further notified him that if he commits any unlawful act within a one-year period, he could be behind bars.
The magistrate told Lavric that he was charged with very serious offences that carried custodial sentences. She also cautioned him against the manner in which he solicited passengers. “If a passenger does not want to travel with you, it is their choice, they are not a child so allow them to be free,” she added.
