A minibus conductor who cursed a female police officer who was at the time a passenger in his bus and who later behaved disorderly was on Thursday last fined $20,000 or in the alternative ordered to spend two weeks imprisonment.
Troy Calendar accepted that on June 13 at Georgetown, he made use of insulting language to woman police Sharlene Philips. He accepted also that on the same day he behaved disorderly.
The facts are that on the day in question, Philips was travelling in the minibus Calendar conducts. There was a heavy build-up of traffic at the time which resulted in vehicles moving slowly. In that situation, the court heard that the defendant began using a series of expletives towards the officer telling her to do something to speed-up the flow of traffic.
The prosecution said that the policewoman who was dressed in her uniform cautioned the defendant to desist, but he continued.
The bus arrived at the park and passengers disembarked, the court heard, and Calendar began behaving disorderly, causing Phillips to reprimand him again; but he persisted. The officer then reported the matter, which led to the defendant being arrested and charged.
When given a chance to speak, an apologetic Calendar said, “that was just a bad day for me.” After apologising, he said that what he had done will never happen again.
The matter was heard before Magistrate Hazel Octive-Hamilton at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.
After hearing the case, the presiding magistrate ordered that the defendant pay a $20,000 fine or spend two weeks in prison.
