The trial of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Frank Thompson concluded today (Monday) before the court of Magistrate Fabayo Azore with a guilty verdict in favour of Complainant Police Constable Leandre Gillis, the victim of a verbal assault case.
Magistrate Azore in her summing up declared that the court finds that the complainant’s evidence against the accused was corroborated by a thorough testimony by eyewitness, one Constable Ingram, notwithstanding questions raised by the defense concerning the credibility of the prosecution’s witnesses.
Moreover, the defendant had denied all allegations in the face of overwhelming evidence and was found by the court to be “in the habit of leaving out bits and pieces of evidence”, citing his recent testimony during which he omitted major details.
The Magistrate further declared that the repeated language (expletives) used by the defendant fell within the ambit of the definition of abusive language.
Thompson appeared in the company of his trial lawyer, Dexter Todd and was ordered to pay a fine of $15,000 or a default of 7 days imprisonment.
It is alleged that on February 22 at Broad Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, ASP Thompson made use of abusive language towards Constable Gillis.
On the day in question, Thompson was allegedly under the influence of alcohol when he was involved in a minor vehicular accident with a fellow road user named as Hemchand Boodhai who reported the incident to nearby police on duty.
This matter came to the fore when a video showing Thompson engaging in less than professional behaviour with a fellow rank circulated on social media, attracting much criticism from the public.
He was subsequently hauled before the courts. ASP Thompson was also charged for making use of threatening language against Hemchand Boodhai, who is the owner of the car that was involved in the accident. However, this charge was thrown out after the Complainant refused to testify.
