A motorcyclist who was ordered to publicly apologise after assaulting two police officers on Thursday found himself the victim of an apparent retaliatory attack by one of the ranks.
Georgeno Tevrienden, of Four Miles, Bartica, was displaying a placard as part of a court-ordered public apology when he was assaulted by a police officer, identified as Constable Harmon.
Tevrieden had been charged with several traffic offences and two counts of assault with intent to resist lawful apprehension.
However, on Thursday shortly after Tevrieden commenced his public apology, he was approach-ed by Constable Harmon, who dealt him several cuffs. He was subsequently taken to the Bartica Public Hospital, where he received medical attention.
Constable Harmon has since been placed under close arrest, according to the police.
The altercation between the men had its genesis last Saturday, when Constable Harmon and Constable Austin were said to be performing traffic patrol duties east along Second Avenue, Bartica, where they observed Tevrieden riding without a safety helmet. According to a police report, the motorcyclist was stopped and told of the offence after which he was asked to produce his driver’s licence and other documents, and further to subject himself for a breathalyser test. He, however, refused.
The report explained that Tevrieden was further told of the offences he committed but started to use a series of expletives, which attracted a small crowd.
The police stated that the man was once again cautioned about his behaviour but continued, causing the officers to attempt to arrest him. It was stated that Tevrieden resisted arrest and in the process dealt the ranks several cuffs about their body, before he jumped back on his motorcycle and rode off.
In a video of the skirmish seen by this newspaper, Tevrieden could be seen aggressively accosting one of the police officers as he tried to regain his keys. The other rank was trying unsuccessfully to restrain him.
A report was made by the two police officers, who also obtained medical reports.
On Wednesday, Tevrieden was brought before Magistrate Crystal Lambert at the Bartica Magistrate’s Court to answer to several charges. He pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with the intent to resist lawful apprehension and was fined $20,000 on each count. He pleaded guilty to failure to wear a facemask and to refusal to consent to breathalyser test and was fined $7,500 for each offence. He also pleaded guilty to operating an uncertified motor vehicle, maintenance of motor vehicle, driving without a safety helmet and guilty to disorderly behavior.
At the end of the proceedings he was also ordered to publically apologise by means of displaying a placard whilst walking in the vicinity of the Bartica Market and the Police Station, between the hours of 9am and 12pm on Thursday.
