After spending the night in the lock-ups, Michelle Lynch, the pregnant woman who was arrested for failing to attend court as a witness, was taken to the Georgetown Magis-trates’ Court yesterday.
Lynch, who is seven months pregnant, was placed in the lock-ups to sleep after she could not sleep in the chair she was given by police officers at the East La Penitence Police Station. She is expected to return to court at a later date to give her evidence.
The woman said that she was taken to court in the same state as she was arrested and did not even have time to change her clothes or shower.
A security source told Stabroek News yesterday that while he was not privy to the circumstances of the case, if the police officers were in possession of an arrest warrant then they were acting in accordance with the law. He stated that there is nothing that guides the police force about how pregnant women should be treated.
He added that it is up to the arresting officers to take the woman’s issues into consideration and “flex.” He described the woman’s arrest as unfortunate.
On the other hand, a police source indicated to this newspaper that the arresting ranks should have used their discretion.
The source said that it is inhumane to lock up a heavily-pregnant woman overnight and regardless of the circumstances that should not have happened in this case. It was pointed out that the woman was not charged with any serious offence and in the circumstances she could have been told to report to the police or the court the following day.
Lynch, of 165 Laing Avenue, was picked up from her home by male police officers, who took her to the East La Penitence Police Station, where she was detained. The arrest was made without an arrest warrant while the woman was at her home.
The woman had stated that when she asked the reason why she was being arrested, a male police officer instructed her to “go and sit down on the bench, we gon tell you later.”
She was then placed in the lock-ups for about 15 minutes after which she was taken out and told that she will have to remain in custody and taken to court the next day.
