(Jamaica Gleaner) After being on suspension for 18 years, fifty-nine-year-old police constable Newton Bentley was on Thursday freed by the Court of Appeal of perverting the course of justice.
The acquittal came three months before Bentley is due to retire from the police force.
In 2002, Bentley was charged with carnal abuse but was acquitted by a jury in 2008.
Bentley, while awaiting trial, was charged with perverting the course of justice.
He was accused of kidnapping the complainant so as to prevent her from testifying against him.
Bentley was found guilty of the charge and he appealed against his conviction and sentence.
During the appeal hearing today, attorney-at-law Kemar Robinson who was instructed by Queen’s Counsel Peter Champagnie argued that the parish judge, in convicting Bentley, had misquoted the evidence and also erred in her finding that he had prevented the complainant from attending court.
The Court of Appeal upheld the submissions and freed Bentley.
